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THE   CLEVELANDS: 


SHOWING  THE 


INFLUENCE  OF  A  CHRISTIAN  FAMILY 

IN  A  NEW  SETTLEMENT. 

BT 

MRS.   E.  M.   SHELDON. 


Where  once  was  heard  the  savage  yell 
Ascends  the  Christian's  prayer, 

And  sweetly  sounds  the  Sabbath  bell 
Along  the  morning  air. 

On  Nature's  charms  how  calmly  smiles 

That  hallowed  morn  in  western  wilds  I 


PUBLISHED    BY    THE 

AMERICAN    TRACT    SOCIETY, 

28  CORNH1LL,  BOSTON. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  In  the  year  1860,  by  the 

AMERICAN  TRACT  SOCIETY, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  District  of  Massachusetts. 


ELECTROTYPED    AT    THE 
BOSTON    STEREOTYPE     FOUNDRY. 


PREFACE. 


No  element  is  more  important  to  the  growth  and 
prosperity  of  a  young  village,  in  a  newly- settled  coun- 
try, than  religion.  By  many  this  is  sadly  forgotten,  and 
many,  who  in  their  former  homes  had  borne  the  Chris- 
tian name,  neglect,  on  removing  into  the  wilderness,  to 
carry  their  profession  and  piety  with  them. 

The  narrative  which  follows  (which  the  Authoress 
assures  us  is  substantially  true,  except  as  to  names,  &c.) 
is  that  of  a  family  who  begun  life  in  their  new  home 
as  Christians.  It  illustrates  how  much  may  be  accom- 
plished by  such  a  family,  in  an  unostentatious  way,  far 
the  promotion  of  religion  around  them,  and  in  planting 
the  germs  of  Christian  institutions  in  our  rising  commu- 
nities. It  is  earnestly  commended  to  the  imitation  of 
all  those  similarly  situated,  whether  at  the  East  or  the 

West. 

Editor. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER    I. 

■HP 

The  Abbival 6 


CHAPTER    II. 
Seasons  fob  Removal 11 

CHAPTER    III. 
Plans. 80 

CHAPTER    IV. 
Fibst  Sabbath  in  the  Wildebness. 24 

CHAPTER    V. 

Neighboely  Calls.    . 36 

(3) 


4  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER    VI. 
-. 

PAGE 

The  Children's  Party.  .  .•. 43 


CHAPTER    VII. 
Shall  we  have  a  Sabbath  School? 56 

CHAPTER    VIII. 
The  Sabbath  School  begun 71 

CHAPTER    IX. 
The  Prater  Meeting 78 

CHAPTER    X. 
Fruits 86 


THE  CLEVELANDS. 


CHAPTER    I. 

THE    ARRIVAL. 

The  ax  rang  sharply  'mid  those  forest  shades 
Which  from  creation  toward  the  sky  had  towered, 
In  unshorn  beauty.    There,  with  vigorous  arm, 
Wrought  the  bold  emigrant,  and  by  his  side 
His  little  son,  with  question  and  response, 
Beguiled  the  time. 

Mrs.  Sigourney's  Poems. 

At  the  close  of  a  lovely  day  in  May,  18 — , 
three  heavily-loaded,  covered  wagons,  drawn 
by  sturdy  oxen,  emerged  from  one  of  the 
dense  forests,  then  so  common  in  Michigan, 
into  an  opening  made  by  the  first  settlers 
of  the  village  of  Smithton.  The  poor  cattle 
panted  with  fatigue,  as  they  dragged  along 
their  loads  of  "goods  and  chattels;"  and 
the  living  occupants  of  the  last  wagon  of  tho 
trio  were  silent  and  thoughtful. 

1*  CO 


6  THE   CLEVELANDS. 

"  Stop  a  moment,  Mike,  and  let  the  oxen 
breathe,"  shouted  Mr.  Cleveland,  the  driver 
of  the  last  team,  to  the  one  in  advance. 
"  George,  my  son,"  continued  he,  as  they 
halted,  addressing  a  noble-looking  lad,  about 
fourteen  years  of  age,  who  drove  the  second 
team,  "you  look  very  tired:  the  road  is 
smooth  the  rest  of  the  way ;  so  jump  on  the 
wagon,  and  let  your  oxen  take  care  of  them- 
selves ;  they  will  follow  the  team  ahead  well 
enough." 

"  Not  very  tired,  father  ;  it  is  not  far  now, 
and  I  would  rather  walk,  if  you  please,"  said 
George,  who  was  not  a  little  proud  of  the 
dexterity  with  which  he  could  guide  his 
"  horned  horses,"  as  he  termed  them. 

"  Papa,  papa !  where  is  that  famous  vil- 
lage ?  "  said  a  sprightly  little  girl  of  nine. 
"I  have  looked,  and  looked,  till  my  eyes 
ache,  and  have  finally  concluded  it  must 
belong  to  fairies,  who  have  wickedly  hid  it 
from  poor,  tired  mortals  like  us." 

"  A  sage  conclusion,  truly,"  replied  her 
father,  smiling ;  "  especially  when  that  same 
village,  as  Mike  says,  is  right  before  you." 

"  Why,  papa,"   exclaimed  the  astonished 


THE  ARRIVAL.  7 

child,  "  you  don't  call  those  four  or  five  log 
huts  a  village — do  you  ?  " 

"  Certainly  I  do,  my  dear  little  Ella.  That 
is  a  Michigan  village.  How  do  you  like 
it?" 

"  Oh  Mary !  do  look !  What  a  splendid 
place  !  What  a  large  village  !  "  said  Ella  to 
the  pensive  sister,  two  years  older  than  her- 
self, who  sat  by  her  side ;  and  the  merry 
little  girl  clapped  her  hands  with  glee,  while 
her  light,  ringing  laugh  was  sweet  music  to 
her  father's  ear,  whose  heart  ached  when  he 
thought  of  the  many  privations  to  which  his 
loved  ones  must  be  subjected  in  their  west- 
ern home. 

"  Now  I  must  count  the  houses  as  we  pass 
through,"  continued  the  little  chatterbox; 
"  so  please,  Miss  Sobriety,  don't  interrupt 
me." 

"  Dear  mamma,"  half  whispered  Mary, 
"  how  different  all  this  is  from  the  scenery 
around  our  old  home — that  so  cheerful,  this 
so  silent  and  lonely.  Don't  you  think  we 
shall  all  be  homesick  ?  " 

"  We  shall,  undoubtedly,  have  many  trials, 


8  THE   CLEVELANDS. 

my  daughter,"  replied  her  mother ;  "  but 
you  know  the  divine  promise,  '  My  grace 
is  sufficient  for  thee.'  But  cheer  up,  my 
dear,  don't  let  papa  see  you  sad;  we  will 
talk  more  of  this  another  time." 

"  One,  two,  three  private  dwelling  houses, 

one  tavern,  and .     Mamma,  what  is  that 

little,  low  building,  opposite  the  tavern  ?  " 
asked  Ella,  as  they  drove  slowly  through 
the  village. 

"  That,  my  dear,  is  a  blacksmith's  shop. 
Those  horseshoe  prints,  burned  on  the  door, 
are  his  sign." 

"Do  see  the  heads  at  the  doors  and  win- 
dows," said  Ella,  lowering  her  voice  almost 
to  a  whisper.  "  I  do  believe  every  inhabitant 
of  this  extensive  village  is  gazing  at  us ; 
but  I  don't  think  it  very  good  manners  to 
stare  so." 

"  Oh,  how  beautiful  !  How  beautiful !  " 
suddenly  exclaimed  Mary,  as  the  sun,  which 
had  been  for  some  time  obscured  by  a  cloud, 
burst  forth  in  the  full  splendor  of  his  setting 
rays.  u  Just  look,  mamma,  Ella,  and  Kate — 
see  how  the   tall   trees,  with   their  tender 


THE   ARRIVAL.  iJ 

leaves,  the  rough  houses,  and  even  the 
stumps  and  the  ground,  are  deluged  in  a 
sea  of  glory! 

'  These  are  thy  works,  almighty  Father  —  these 
Are  but  the  varied  God,' " 

said  the  young  enthusiast,  reverently  clasp- 
ing her  hands,  and  raising  her  eyes  to  heaven. 
"  If,"  murmured  she,  as  if  thinking  aloud, — 
"  if  Michigan  has  many  such  scenes  as  this, 
I  shall  not  be  homesick.  'Twill  be  im- 
possible." 

Her  mother  gazed  tearfully  upon  her  dur- 
ing this  burst  of  feeling;  but  the  thoughts 
and  attention  of  all  were  soon  diverted  into 
a  new  channel  by  their  arrival  at  their  long- 
wished-for  home. 

"  Where  are  we,  mamma  ? "  said  little 
Frank,  who  had  been  asleep  for  some  time 
on  a  bed  in  the  wagon,  and  was  now  aroused 
by  the  noisy  glee  of  Ella. 

"  We  are  at  our  new  home,  my  little  boy," 
said  his  father,  who  had  just  helped  the  girls 
from  their  rather  high  seat  to  terra  firma, 
and  now  set  out  little  Frank ;  then,  turning 
to  his  wife,  he  whispered,  as  he  assisted  her 


10  THE  CLEVELANDS. 

to  alight,  "  Welcome  to  your  new  home, 
dearest.  Poor  though  it  be,  it  is  the  best 
that  even  your  husband's  love  can  provide." 

"  We  shall  be  happy,  very  happy  here,  dear 
Edward,  if  you  do  not  despond.  Cheer  up, 
my  husband ;  mutual  affection  will  make 
this  wild  spot  a  paradise." 

By  the  time  the  older  members  of  the 
family  were  ready  to  enter,  Ella, — who  was 
always  foremost, —  George,  Frank,  and  even 
Mary,  —  who,  in  the  novelty  and  excitement, 
had  lost  all  thoughts  of  home-sickness, — had 
ransacked  the  house,  which  was  built  of  logs, 
and  not  very  spacious,  and  now  stood  at 
the  door,  with  mock  gravity,  to  give  their 
parents,  and  Mike,  and  Kate,  a  gracious 
welcome. 


REASONS   FOR  REMOVAL.  11 

CHAPTER    II. 

REASONS   FOR  REMOVAL. 

The  good  are  better  made  by  ill, 
As  odors  crushed  are  sweeter  still. 

Rogers'  Jacqueline. 

Edward  Cleveland  and  Julia  Westbury 
were  born,  educated,  and  married  in  the  city 
of  Boston.  Their  parents  were  wealthy ;  but, 
unlike  too  many  wealthy  families,  they  felt 
that  an  abundance  of  this  world's  goods  was 
no  excuse  for  neglecting  the  moral  culture 
of  their  children.  Acquainted  from  child- 
hood, the  union  of  Edward  and  Julia  seemed 
more  the  natural  result  of  similar  tastes, 
habits,  and  modes  of  thinking,  than  the  con- 
summation of  a  romantic  attachment.  Soon 
after  their  marriage  they  removed  to  New 
York,  where  Mr.  Cleveland's  father  estab- 
lished him  in  a  nourishing  business.  And 
now,  amid  the  engrossing  cares  and  alluring 
temptations  of  mercantile  life,  how  often  did 
he  thank  Heaven  for  those  active  business 
habits  and  the  stern  integrity  that  had  been 
his  daily  lessons  from  boyhood ! 


12  THE   CLEVELANDS. 

Years  passed  away,  and  the  tide  of  their 
united  life,  like  the  tide  of  their  early  love, 
did  run  smooth.  Four  happy,  blooming 
children  were  as  olive  plants  around  their 
table.  Wealth  rolled  in  upon  them,  and 
Mrs.  Cleveland,  as  the  affectionate  wife,  the 
fond  and  pious  mother,  amply  sustained  the 
fair  promise  of  her  girlhood.  Nothing  of 
earth  could  add  to  the  happiness  of  this 
interesting  family  which  was  not  already 
enjoyed.  But  a  reverse  came.  Amid  the 
commercial  crash  that  hurled  thousands  from 
affluence  to  abject  poverty,  Mr.  Cleveland 
found  his  affairs  so  embarrassed  by  the  fail- 
ure of  many  indebted  to  him,  that  his  own 
fair  inheritance  must  be  scattered  to  the 
winds.  None  but  those  who  have  passed 
through  the  same  fiery  ordeal  can  realize 
his  distress  of  mind,  when  the  painful  truth 
first  burst  upon  his  bewildered  senses.  For 
days,  he  and  his  confidential  clerk  had  been 
busily  engaged  in  a  thorough  investigation 
of  their  complicated  business  matters ;  and 
when,  at  last,  every  tiling  was  adjusted,  and 
but  a  few  hundreds  remained,  after  all  lia- 
bilities should  be  paid,  is  it  wonderful  that 


REASONS   FOR  REMOVAL.  13 

the  strong  man  bowed  his  head,  and  became 
a  very  child  again  ? 

"  Excuse  this  weakness,  Morton,"  said  Mr. 
Cleveland,  as,  with  a  powerful  effort,  he  re- 
gained his  usual  composure.  "  You  have 
been  a  faithful,  tried  friend  for  years ;  would 
that  I  could  reward  you  ;  but  that  now  is 
impossible.  However,  thanks  to  a  merciful 
Providence,  there  is  enough  left  to  pay  all 
my  debts;  so  you  will  not  lose  your  hard- 
earned  wages,  nor  will  any  widow  or  orphans 
curse  me  for  their  distress.  Stay  with  me, 
Morton,"  continued  he,  "till  my  affairs  are 
settled,  and  my  gratitude  shall  be  for  ever 
yours." 

"  Mr.  Cleveland,"  replied  the  young  man, 
"I  have  received  many  favors  from  you ;  and, 
were  it  not  for  my  mother  and  sisters,  what 
little  is  due  for  my  services  I  would  never 
receive ;  but,  for  their  sakes,  my  hand  must 
accept  what  my  heart  refuses.  Command 
me  in  all  things  through  your  coming  trial, 
and  I  shall  be  but  too 'happy  to  serve  you. 
Hark !  the  bells  strike  twelve  o'clock !  Will 
not  your  wife  be  alarmed  at  your  unusual 
absence  ?" 

2 


14  THE  CLEVELANDS. 

"  Poor  Julia !  how  will  she  bear  it  ?  ** 
murmured  Mr.  Cleveland. 

"  Your  wife  is  a  woman  and  a  Christian, 
sir,"  said  Morton,  as  he  bade  his  employer 
good  night. 

"A  woman. and  a  Christian,"  repeated  the 
poor  husband,  as  he  walked  slowly  home- 
ward. "  Yes,  so  she  is,  and  a  true  one,  too ; 
but  she  has  never  been  poor ;  she  has  never 
known  want;  it  will  kill  her;  she  can  not 
bear  it ;  and  my  poor  children,  too,  what 
will  become  of  them  ?  " 

Mr.  Cleveland  had  reached  home,  and 
mechanically  mounted  the  steps ;  but,  as  he 
placed  his  hand  upon  the  knob,  his  courage 
forsook  him,  and  he  leaned  against  the  house 
for  support.  It  was  but  for  a  moment.  The 
quick  ear  of  his  watchful  wife  had  long 
since  learned,  that 

"  His  very  foot  had  music  in't, 
When  he  came  up  the  stairs ;  " 

and  she  now  hastened  to  him,  and,  though 
greatly  alarmed,  drew  him  gently  into  the 
parlor. 

"  Edward  !  dear  husband  !  "  exclaimed 
she,  as  she  gazed  on  his  pale,  haggard  face, 


REASONS   FOR  REMOVAL.  15 

"  -what  is  the  matter  ?  What  has  happened  ? 
Are  you  ill  ?  " 

"  Sick  ?  Yes,  sick  at  heart !  "  said  he,  with 
a  nervous  start.     "  Julia,  we  are  ruined." 

"Tell  me,  Edward,  is  that  all?  Is  that 
the  worst  intelligence  you  bring  ?  " 

"Is  not  that  enough?"  exclaimed  he, 
petulantly. 

"  Edward  Cleveland,"  replied  his  wife,  in 
a  half-reproving  tone,  "  you  profess  to  be  a 
Christian.  Shall  we  receive  good  at  the  hand 
of  the  Lord,  and  not  evil  ?  Compose  your- 
self," she  added,  tenderly,  "  and  let  us  talk 
over  the  matter  calmly.  I  will  be  with  you 
again  presently ; "  and,  taking  a  light,  she 
withdrew  to  the  kitchen,  to  which,  though 
amply  supplied  with  domestics,  she  was  by 
no  means  a  stranger.  Here  she  busied  her- 
self for  some  time  in  preparing  some  slight 
refreshments  for  him,  whose  physical  powers 
were  fast  giving  way  under  the  intense  men- 
tal excitement  to  which  they  had  been  so 
long  subjected,  and  which  he  had  made  such 
efforts  to  conceal  from  his  family. 

Mr.  Cleveland  paced  the  room  in  great 
agitation   for  some  minutes   after  his  wife 


16  THE   CLB-VELANDS. 

left;  but  her  words  of  encouragement,  her 
calmness,  and  the  expression  of  relief  in  her 
countenance,  when  he  told  her  the  news, — 
which  he  thought  would  quite  overcome  her, 
—  quieted  his  fears,  and  imparted  to  his 
mind  a  tranquillity  which  an  hour  before  he 
would  have  deemed  it  impossible  ever  again 
to  possess.  When  Mrs.  Cleveland  returned, 
after  an  absence  purposely  protracted,  she 
found  her  husband  composed,  willing  to  con- 
verse on  the  painful  subject  of  their  present 
embarrassments,  and  gathering  new  strength 
for  future  action,  as  he  unbosomed  himself 
to  her  who  had  so  long  enjoyed  his  con- 
fidence. 

"  Why,  Julia !  you  are  quite  a  cook ;  for 
I  suppose  Kate  went  to  bed  long  ago,"  said 
Mr.  Cleveland,  as  his  wife  pushed  back  the 
table,  after  their  midnight  repast. 

"  Has  my  husband  yet  to  learn,"  replied 
she,  "that  my  excellent  mother  instructed 
me  not  only  in  the  superintendence,  but  in 
all  the  minutiae,  of  domestic  affairs  ?  " 

"  That  will  make  poverty  rather  easier  to 
bear,"  half  whispered  her  husband,  with  a 
sigh. 


REASONS   FOR   REMOVAL.  17 

"  Hush,  hush,"  said  Mrs.  Cleveland,  play- 
fully ;  "  you  may  be  as  poor  as  you  please ; 
but  while  my  husband  and  children  are 
spared  me,  /shall  be  rich." 

In  a  few  weeks  Mr.  Cleveland  had  settled 
up  his  business,  disposed  of  his  costly  house 
and  furniture,  dismissed  his  clerks  and  do- 
mestics, removed  his  family  to  a  small  but 
comfortable  cottage,  just  out  of  the  city, 
which  he  had  formerly  rented,  and  was  upon 
the  eve  of  his  departure  for  that  El  Dorado 
of  the  unfortunate — the  "West." 

"  Well,  Mike,"  said  he  to  an  Irishman, 
who  had  been  his  porter,  but  who,  for  the 
last  few  weeks,  had  served  him  as  man  of 
all  work,  "  you  know  I  start  for  Michigan  to- 
morrow ;  and  what  can  I  do  for  you  before  I 
go  ?  The  Stuarts  want  a  porter ;  would 
you  like  a  recommendation  ?  " 

"And  sure,  Mr.  Cleveland,"  replied  Mike, 
"  it's  not  sending  me  away  you're  going  to  ?  " 

"  I  would  like  very  much  to  keep  you, 
Mike,  but  you  know  I  am  poor  now,  and 
can  not  pay  you  the  wages  I  have  done 
hitherto.  So  I  see  no  other  way  than  for  you 
to  find  a  more  prosperous  employer." 
2* 


18  THE  CLEVELANDS. 

"And  Kate?" 

"  Mrs.  Cleveland  thinks  she  must  do  her 
own  housework  ;  but  the  elder  Stuart  wants  a 
housekeeper ;  so  you  and  Kate  won't  be  sepa- 
rated. Are  you  satisfied,  my  good  fellow  ?  " 
asked  Mr.  Cleveland,  smiling. 

Mike  shrugged  his  shoulders,  hesitated  a 
moment,  and  then  said,  "  Kate  and  I  were 
talking  over  that  same  going  west  last  night ; 
and  we  thought  we  would  like  to  go  too. 
So,  if  you  will  buy  us  a  lot  of  land  close  by 
your  own,  and  give  us  our  board,  we  will 
stay  with  you  and  serve  you  faithfully  till 
this  fall  a  year.  And  then,"  said  he,  "  we 
will  get  married,  and  set  up  housekeeping 
ourselves." 

"  But  that  will  be  making  too  great  a 
sacrifice,"  returned  Mr.  Cleveland  ;  "  you 
must  look  out  for  your  own  interest  bet- 
ter than  this,  or  you  will  never  do  to  get 
married." 

"  You  was  kind  to  me,  sir,  when  I  was  a 
stranger  in  America,"  said  the  honest  fellow, 
brushing  away  a  tear,  "  and  I  don't  like  the 
leaving  of  you  now,  unless  Kate  and  I  would 
be  a  burden." 


REASONS   FOB   REMOVAL.  19 

"  Many  thanks  for  your  affectionate  re- 
gard," said  Mr.  Cleveland,  with  emotion : 
"  stay  with  us ;  and  if  we  prosper,  you  shall 
not  be  forgotten." 

We  will  pass  over  the  tender  parting  of 
Mr.  Cleveland  with  his  loving  and  beloved 
family  ;  the  loneliness  of  his  journey,  which 
was  not  then,  as  now,  that  of  a  day ;  the 
difficulty  of  selecting  a  location  where  all 
the  country  was  so  beautiful ;  the  building 
of  his  future  residence ;  his  safe  return  ; 
the  dull  monotony  of  the  ensuing  winter, 
and  the  perplexities  and  perils  of  their  im- 
migration, and  return  to  our  rather  verdant 
*'  Wolverines." 


20  THE  CLEVELANDS. 

CHAPTER    m. 

PLANS. 

» 
When  the  purposes  of  life 
Stood  apart  from  vulgar  strife, 
Labor  in  the  path  of  duty 
Gleamed  up  like  a  thing-  of  beauty. 

C.  P.  Craxch. 

It  was  Monday  when  our  immigrants 
reached  Smith  ton,  having  spent  the  Sab- 
bath at  A ,  one  of  the  oldest  and  most 

flourishing  villages  in  the  state ;  and  the 
next  Saturday  evening  found  them  quite 
comfortably  settled  in  their  "  log  mansion," 
as  Ella  called  it.  Mr.  Cleveland,  George, 
and  Mike  had  gone  to  look  for  the  cattle, 
whose  pasture  was  abundant  and  very  ex- 
tensive, unobstructed  by  fences  or  bars. 
Kate  was  clearing  away  the  tea  things ;  and 
the  girls  and  little  Frank  had  drawn  their 
stools  close  around  their  mother,  who  sat  at 
the  open  window,  busy  with  her  needle. 

"  Mamma,"  said  Mary,  "  can  you  tell  us, 
now,  what  are  your  plans  for  us  in  the 
future  ?    You  told  us  yesterday  that  we  must 


PLANS. 


21 


adopt  a  regular  system ;  and  can't  we  begin 
next  week  ?  " 


^vMi 


"  Heigh-ho !  I  hope  mamma  will  not  in- 
stall me  dish-washer,"  said  Ella.  "  I  don't 
like  the  trade  at  all." 

"  I  hope  my  daughters  will  think  their 
mother  knows  best  what  will  make  them 
most  useful  and  happy  hereafter,  and  be 
willing  to  do  as  she  thinks  proper,  even  if 
the  task  be  not  quite  so  pleasant." 

"  Oh,  yes,  mamma,"  exclaimed  both  the 
girls  at  once.  "  But  now  for  those  plans,  if 
you  please,"  said  Ella. 


22  THE  CLEVELANDS. 

"Well,  then,  first, — and  probably  most 
unpleasant  of  all, — Mary  and  you  must  clear 
the  table  and  wash  the  dishes  after  break- 
fast and  dinner,  every  day,  when  you  are  in 
health.  You  will  pursue  the  same  course, 
before  breakfast,  that  you  have  pursued  for 
a  few  months  past.  You  will  all  spend  an 
hour  or  two  every  forenoon  and  afternoon  at 
your  lessons;  and  after  tea  we  will  spend 
the  time  in  music,  walking,  &c." 

"  Will  George  and  I  have  to  study,  too  ?  " 
said  Frank. 

"Certainly,  my  son,"  replied  his  mother; 
"  we  live  in  the  woods,  now,  where  there  are 
no  schools  suitable  for  George ;  and  you, 
Frank,  are  getting  old  enough  to  learn  some- 
thing beside  play." 

"  Oh,  I  know  a  great  many  things  now," 
said  Frank.  "  I  thought  it  would  always 
be  holiday  here  in  the  woods,"  added  he, 
musingly. 

"  I  did  not  suppose  my  little  boy  would 
want  to  grow  up  a  dunce,  coarse,  vulgar, 
and  uneducated,  if  he  does  live  in  the  woods," 
replied  Mrs.  Cleveland ;  "  but,  Frank,  you 
need  not  study,  unless  you  choose." 


PLANS.  23 

"  I  will  study,  mamma ;  for  I  want  to 
know  as  much  as  any  body." 

"  It  is  Saturday  night,"  said  Mary ;  "  how 
shall  we  spend  the  Sabbath  ?  Do  they  have 
Sabbath  schools  and  meetings  here  ?  " 

"  They  have  occasional  preaching  at  the 
village,"  replied  her  mother ;  "  but  there  is 
no  Sabbath  school ;  and,  as  there  is  but  one 
pious  family  in  Smith  ton,  there  are  no  prayer 
meetings.  There  is  no  preaching  to-morrow ; 
so  we  must  spend  the  day  at  home ;  and  I 
hope  it  will  not  be  entirely  unprofitable." 

"  Mamma,  if  there  is  no  Sabbath  school, 
we  shall  not  have  to  learn  a  verse  a  day,  in 
'addition  to  our  morning  reading;  shall  we?" 
said  Ella. 

"  Yes ; "  replied  Mrs.  Cleveland,  "  for  we 
shall  have  a  Sabbath  school  at  home." 

"  But  if  there  is  one  pious  family  to  help 
us,  why  can't  we  have  a  Sabbath  school  at 
the  village  ?  "  asked  Mary. 

"  Perhaps  we  may,  when  the  people  be- 
come well  acquainted  with  us ;  but  the  habits 
of  those  who  have  been  brought  up  in  the 
country  are  very  different  from  those  of  city 
people,  and  we  must  be  careful  not  to  be- 


24  THE   CLEVELANDS. 

come  prejudiced  against  each  other.  Here 
comes  Mike  with  the  cows ;  so  we  must  not 
talk  any  more  now." 


CHAPTER    IV. 

FIRST   SABBATH    IN   THE   WILDERNESS. 

All  nature  rests  ;  the  flocks  and  herds,  listless 
And  silent,  crop  the  needed  fruit,  then  seek 
Repose,  or  gather  'neath  the  shady  oak, 
As  if  they  knew  to-day  were  holy  time. 

The  Sabbath  dawned  as  bright  and  lovely 
on  the  forest  home  of  the  Clevelands,  as 
when  its  blessed  light  dispelled  the  darkness 
from  their  city  habitation ;  and  to  the  enthu- 
siastic minds  of  the  children  it  seemed  more 
beautiful.  The  matin  song  of  the  birds 
seemed  sweeter  and  holier  than  usual.  The 
cattle  moved  quietly  away  to  graze,  and  soft 
zephyrs  whispered  to  the  green  leaves,  "  'Tis 
holy  time." 

The  morning  was  pleasantly  spent  by  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Cleveland  in  reading  the  Scrip- 


FIRST    SABBATH   IN   THE   WILDERNESS.       25 

tures,  and  conversing  with  their  children 
and  domestics  on  the  important  truths  and 
striking  historical  events,  which  can  not  fail, 
if  judiciously  presented  to  the  mind,  both  to 
entertain  and  instruct.  In  the  afternoon, 
the  family  formed  themselves  into  a  Bible 
class,  with  Mr.  Cleveland  for  teacher ;  the 
children  reciting  their  lessons  learned  on  the 
verse-a-day  system ;  then  all,  with  open  Bi- 
bles, answering  in  turn  the  questions  that 
presented  themselves  to  their  teacher's  mind. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cleveland  were  alike  united 
in  their  views  of  family  government  and  re- 
ligion. Their  religion  was  not  a  Sabbath 
day's  garb  of  holiness,  but  a  fixed  principle, 
an  all-pervading  sentiment,  entering  into  and 
incorporated  with  their  whole  life.  Deeming 
the  Sabbath  a  temporal  as  well  as  a  spiritual 
blessing,  they  strove  to  make  it  a  delight  to 
their  household,  and  they,  thus  far,  had  been 
eminently  successful.  Never  had  they  heard 
their  young  children  complain  of  weariness, 
or  exclaim,  "  When  will  the  Sabbath  be 
past  ?  "  and  now,  when  they  were  entering 
almost  upon  a  new  existence,  they  were  anx- 
ious to  pursue  such  a  course  that  holy  time, 
3 


26  THE   CLEVELANDS. 

even  deprived,  as  they  were,  of  the  privi- 
leges of  the  sanctuary,  should  be  hailed  as 
an  inestimable  blessing — a  day  of  privileged 
enjoyment,  not  as  one  of  irksome  task  work. 
Toward  evening  of  this  their  first  Sab- 
bath in  the  wilderness,  the  family  were  lis- 
tening to  the  latest  missionary  intelligence, 
read  by  Mr.  Cleveland,  when  the  attention 
of  little  Frank,  who  sat  near  the  window, 
was  attracted  by  three  men,  who  came  saun- 
tering up  the  road  from  the  village.  Their 
appearance  was  any  thing  but  prepossessing. 
To  be  sure,  their  week-old  beards  had  under- 
gone a  pretended  process  of  shaving,  and 
their  coarse  linen  was  clean  ;  but  their  outer 
garments  bore  evident  marks  of  long  ser- 
vice ;  and  here  a  rip  and  there  a  rent  showed 
the  want  of  woman's  tidy  hand ;  and  there 
was  a  certain  care-for-nothing  air  about 
them,  which  would  very  readily  place  them 
with  the  class  denominated  loafers.  They 
continued  to  advance  slowly  towards  the 
house,  till  they  reached  the  rude  fence  that 
enclosed  Mr.  Cleveland's  little  clearing. 
Here  they  stopped,  and  seemed  consulting 
together  whether  they  should  advance  to 
the  house  or  return. 


FIRST   SABBATH   IN  THE  WILDERNESS.        27 

Just  then  Mr.  Cleveland  raised  his  eyes, 
and,  stepping  to  the  door,  invited  them  in. 

"  Thank'ee,  sir,"  said  Mr.  Smith,  the  tav- 
ern keeper ;  "  we  were  walking  out  to  take 
the  air,  and  thought  it  would  be  no  more 
than  friendly  just  to  give  you  a  call.  This 
is  neighbor  Johnson,  Mr.  Cleveland ;  and 
this  is  my  son  John,"  continued  he,  awk- 
wardly, pointing  to  the  individuals  as  he 
spoke. 

M  Be  seated,  gentlemen,"  said  Mr.  Cleve- 
land, after  acknowledging  the  uncouth  in- 
troduction. 

"  You  were  reading  when  we  came  in ; 
perhaps  we  interrupted  you,"  said  Mr. 
Johnson. 

"Yes,  I  was  reading  some  missionary 
news  to  my  family,  and  if  you  would  like 
to  hear  it,  I  will  continue,"  was  the  reply. 

"Thank'ee,  sir,"  said  they  all. 

After  finishing  the  article  he  had  com- 
menced, and  reading  one  or  two  other  short 
pieces,  that  he  thought  would  be  likely  to 
interest  them,  Mr.  Cleveland  paused,  made 
a  few  remarks  on  the  importance  and  success 
of    missionary  labor,    then,  turning   to   his 


28  THE   CLEVELANDS. 

visitors,  asked  them  some  questions  with  re- 
gard to  their  own  religioiis  privileges. 

"  I  have  been  told,"  said  he,  "  that  you 
have  preaching  here  occasionally.  May  I 
ask  how  often  ?  " 

"Yes,"  said  Mr.  Smith, "  there  is  a  Metho- 
dist preacher,  who  comes  and  preaches 
once  in  four  weeks,  at  the  school  house  in 
the  village.  They  say  he  preaches'  very  well, 
but  I  never  heard  him.  I  think  I  shall  go 
next  time  he  comes." 

"When  will  he  preach  again?"  asked 
Mrs.  Cleveland. 

"  Next  Sunday,  at  eleven  o'clock,  ma'am. 
I  s'pose  you  and  the  children  will  come ; 
won't  you?" 

"  Oh,  yes,  if  we  are  well.  But  where  is 
the  school  house  ?  We  did  not  notice  it 
when  we  came  through." 

"  You  can't  see  it  from  the  road  you  came 
on,  ma'am,"  replied  Mr.  Smith.  "It  stands 
behind  a  clump  of  trees,  on  the  road  that 
runs  north  of  my  house.  Now,  while  I 
think  of  it,  my  wife  said  this  morning,  that 
she  meant  to  come  out  and  see  "■you  this 
week." 


FIRST   SABBATH   IN   THE    WILDERNESS.       29 

"  I  hope  she  will,"  replied  Mrs.  Cleveland. 
"  I  have  not  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  any 
of  my  neighbors  yet." 

The  men  now  rose  to  go ;  and,  after  bid- 
ding Mrs.  Cleveland  good  evening,  they 
asked  Mr.  Cleveland  to  accompany  them 
home,  "just  to  stir  his  blood,"  as  they  said. 

"  Thank  you.  Not  to-day ;  it  is  the  Sab- 
bath ;  but  I  shall  be  at  the  village  to-morrow, 
and  will  see  you  then." 

"Cleveland  seems  to  be  a  clever  fellow, 
but  I  am  sorry  he  is  so  dreadful  religious," 
said  Smith,  as  soon  as  they  were  out  of 
hearing.  "  Now  there's  Brown,  you  know, 
won't  never  drink  a  drop,  make  a  bet,  nor 
do  any  thing  that  has  a  bit  of  fun  in  it,  just 
because  of  this  plaguy  religion.  I  was  in 
hopes  we  shouldn't  have  any  more  pious 
folks  in  Smithton." 

"  I  don't  know  what  to  think  of  this  re- 
ligion," replied  Johnson.  "  When  I  was  a 
little  child,  my  mother  used  to  make  me  say 
my  prayers  every  night,  and  in  the  morning 
she  used  to  read  and  pray,  for  my  father  was 
dead,  and  though  she  had  to  work  hard  to 
support  her  children,  she  always  seemed 
3* 


30  THE   CLEVELANDS. 

happy.  Brown  seems  to  be  happy ;  and 
Brown  gets  along  well,  too ;  better  than  I  do, 
though  he  was  poor  when  he  came  here  ;  and 
I  had  a  good  farm  then,  with  almost  as  much 
improvement  as  I  have  now.  Cleveland's 
family  look  happier  than  mine  ;  and  I  almost 
believe  it  is  owing  to  their  religion." 

"  Father,"  said  John,  "  did  you  notice 
he  said  he  could  not  go  with  us  because  it 
was  Sunday  ?  Pretty  good  hint  for  us  to 
stay  away  ;  wasn't  it  ?  " 

"Yes,  I  thought  so;  didn't  you,  neigh- 
bor Johnson  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  but  like  enough  he  didn't  mean 
it  as  a  hint,"  was  the  reply. 

By  this  time  they  had  reached  the  village, 
and  the  trio  separated — Johnson  to  call  up 
long-buried  memories  of  his  pious  mother 
and  his  early  childhood,  during  his  solitary 
walk  home,  and  Smith  and  his  son  to  relate 
all  they  had  seen  and  heard  at  the  Cleve- 
lands  to  the  little  knot  of  loungers  at  the 
tavern. 

George  Cleveland  sat  gazing  abstractedly 
after  the  retreating  visitors,  till  an  angle  in 
the  road  hid  them  from  view.     Starting  like 


FIRST   SABBATH   IN   THE   WILDERNESS.       31 

one  waking  from  a  troubled  dream,  he  turned 
to  his  father,  half  opened  his  lips  as  if  to 
speak,  then,  hesitating,  cast  his  eyes  to  the 
floor. 

"  Speak  out,"  said  his  father,  with  a  smile, 
who  conjectured  what  was  passing  in .  his 
mind ;  "  you  need  not  fear  to  place  confi- 
dence in  your  parents." 

"  I  am  not  afraid,  father ;  but  I  did  not 
know  but  it  would  be  disrespectful  to  tell 
you  what  I  was  thinking  of." 

"  My  children  are  not  often  disrespectful ; 
so  I  shall  not  be  very  suspicious.  But  what 
were  you  going  to  say,  George  ? " 

"  I  was  thinking,  if  we  had  been  in  New 
York  when  those  men  called,  you  would  not 
have  invited  them  in ;  and  I  could  not  un- 
derstand why  you  should  do  any  differently 
here." 

"  Professing  TJhristians,"  said  Mr.  Cleve- 
land, "  should  always  endeavor  to  be  con- 
sistent. Different  circumstances  may  induce 
them  to  pursue  a  course  which  will  seem 
entirely  inconsistent  with  their  previous 
course  of  conduct  and  their  avowed  prin- 
ciples, when,  if  their  motives  were  known, 


32  THE   CLEVELANDS. 

all  appearance  of  inconsistency  would  vanish. 
There  is  not  a  vagrant  in  the  streets  of  New 
York  who  is  not  sufficiently  well  informed  to 
know  how  Christians  regard  the  Sabbath; 
and  a  call  from  them,  or  from  any  of  our 
acquaintance,  merely  as  a  matter  of  cer- 
emony or  friendship,  would  justly  be  con- 
sidered as  an  insult,  and  deserve  to  be 
received  as  such  ;  but  here,  my  children,  in 
this  western  wilderness,  the  case  is  different ; 
the  outward  restraints  of  religion  do  not 
exist ;  there  are  but  few  meetings,  and  no 
Sabbath  schools  —  but  little  to  remind  one 
that  a  seventh  part  of  the  time  is  Jehovah's. 
These  men  have  been  brought  up  in  a  land 
of  Sabbaths,  as  well  as  ourselves,  but  to 
them  Sunday  was  a  day  of  restraint  and 
weariness,  and  when  they  came  to  the  west 
they  threw  off  that  restraint ;  and  now  they 
•  almost  seem  to  have  forgotten  why  the  Sab- 
bath is  observed." 

"  Do  they  work  on  Sunday,  papa  ?  "  said 
Frank. 

"  No,  they  do  not  work  unless  in  what 
they  think  a  case  of  necessity,  as  in  securing 
their  hay  or  wheat  crops  ;    but  they  visit, 


FIRST   SABBATH   IN   THE   WILDERNESS.       33 

hunt,  fish,  and  congregate  at  the  tavern, 
which  is  far  more  destructive  to  the  morals 
than  mere  manual  labor.  Yet  beneath  a 
rough  exterior  and  unpolished  manners  may 
be  concealed  virtues  that  would  do  honor  to 
the  most  refined  and  proudest  of  our  coun- 
trymen ;  beside,  it  will  teach  us  humility,  for- 
bearance, and  gratitude  —  three  lessons  that 
can  not  be  too  well  studied  by  poor  wayward 
mortals  like  ourselves." 

"  Papa,  one  question  more,"  said  George, 
"  if  you  please.  Is  it  wrong  to  walk  out  on 
the  Sabbath  ? " 

"  That  will  depend  on  the  motives  we  have 
in  walking,  where  we  walk,  and  the  influ- 
ence we  shall  exert  upon  others.  If  we  walk 
within  the  bounds  of  our  own  inclosure,  for 
exercise,  there  can  not  any  harm  arise,  as  I 
can  see,  to  ourselves  or  others,  by  so  doing ; 
nor  would  there  be  any  thing  wrong,  as  far 
as  ourselves  are  concerned,  in  wandering  out 
into  the  forest  among  nature's  beauties,  if 
we  were  thus  led  to  look  from  nature  up  to 
nature's  God.  But  suppose,  in  one  of  these 
rambles,  we  should  chance  to  meet  a  hunter, 
an  habitual  Sabbath  breaker ;  would  he  not 


34  THE   CLEVELANDS. 

think  himself  almost  justified  in  his  course, 
if  he  could  say,  in  answer  to  reproof, '  Why, 
Mr.  Such-a-one,  a  very  good  man,  walks  out 
on  Sunday,  for  I  met  him  a  week  or  two  ago 
in  the  woods,  as  much  as  a  mile  from  his 
house '  ?  So,  you  see,  an  act  may  be  innocent 
in  itself,  and  yet  hurtful  in  its  influence  upon 
others.  Had  I  gone  to  the  village  with  those 
men  to-day,  though  I  had  talked  all  the  way 
on  religious  subjects,  my  influence  with  them 
would  have  been  for  ever  gone.  The  fact 
that  I  walked  out  with  them  on  the  Sabbath 
would  have  been  to  them  a  shield  against 
reproof,  whatever  were  my  motives  in  going. 
And  now,  my  children,  you  will  doubtless 
see  many  things  in  your  mother's  course  of 
life  and  my  own  that  you  may  not  under- 
stand. We  are  placed  in  entirely  different 
circumstances  from  those  of  former  years, 
and  when  any  such  incidents  occur,  wait  till 
a  proper  time,  then  come  and  ask  us  unre- 
servedly the  reasons  why,  as  you  have  done 
to-day  ;  and  may  a  kind  Father  give  us  grace 
so  to  live,  that  it  will  always  be  a  pleasure  to 
us  to  explain  our  motives  to  our  children." 


NEIGHBORLY   CALLS. 


35 


CHAPTER    V. 

NEIGHBORLY    CALLS. 

We  pine  for  kindred  natures 
To  mingle  with  our  own 

Mrs.  Hemans. 


"  Good  morning,  Mrs.  Brown,"  said  Mrs. 
Smith,  the  tavern-keeper's  wife,  as  she  un- 
ceremoniously entered  the  house  of  the 
worthy  blacksmith,  early  the  following 
Tuesday. 


36  THE   CLEVELANDS. 

"  Good  morning,"  was  the  reply  of  Mrs. 
Brown,  who  was  busy  about  her  household 
affairs.  "  Won't  you  take  a  seat,  Mrs.  Smith  ? 
You  must  have  risen  earlier  than  we  did,  to 
have  your  work  out  of  the  way  so  soon." 

"  Oh,  bless  you,  no.  We  haven't  been  up 
over  half  an  hour  ;  and,  to  tell  you  the  truth, 
we  hain't  been  to  breakfast  yet  —  but  I  can't 
stop  to  sit.  I  come  to  ask  you"if  you  wouldn't 
like  to  go  up  to  Cleveland's  a-visiting  this 
afternoon." 

"  Yes,  I  would  like  to  become  acquainted 
with  our  new  neighbors.  I  was  thinking 
yesterday  whether  they  had  been  here  long 
enough  to  get  settled,  so  as  to  like  to  see 
company." 

"  Settled !  "  repeated  Mrs.  Smith  ;  "  why, 
my  husband  was  in  there  on  Sunday,  and  lie 
said  every  thing  was  as  neat  as  a  pin,  and 
they  looked  as  if  they  had  lived  there  a  year. 
He  told  them  I  was  coming  up  this  week. 
Well,  I  must  be  going.  You  will  be  ready 
early  ;  won't  you?  " 

"  As  soon  as  I  can  after  dinner,"  was  the 
reply. 

"  So  Smith  called  on   the  Clevelands  on 


NEIGHBORLY  CALLS.  37 

Sunday !  I  wonder  how  he  was  received, 
for  they  say  they  are  pious,"  thought  Mrs. 
Brown,  after  her  neighbor  left.  "  Oh,  I  wish 
I  could  find  a  companion  and  friend  in  Mrs. 
Cleveland ;  I  have  been  here  so  long  shut 
out  from  the  society  of  those  who  could 
enter  into  my  feelings,  that  I  earnestly  desire 
one  female  friend  to  whom  I  can  pour  out 
my  full  soul.  But  Mrs.  Cleveland  is  better 
educated,  and  her  tastes  and  talents  are  more 
cultivated,  than  mine  ;  however,  if  our  minds 
are  similarly  constituted,  her  superior  ad- 
vantages ought  not  to  make  any  differ- 
ence." 

The  Brown  family  was  vastly  superior  in 
mental  and  moral  worth  to  the  other  inhab- 
itants of  the  village.  They  had  never  been 
wealthy,  nor  had  the  parents,  when  young, 
enjoyed  any  other  advantages  for  education 
than  those  afforded  by  attending  the  district 
school  a  few  months  in  a  year  ;  but  they, 
like  the  truly  wise,  sought  the  pearl  of  great 
price  early  in  youth,  and  were  thus  kept 
from  vice,  and  brought  to  seek  permanent 
earthly  happiness  in  their  own  mental  cul- 
ture, and  in  training  their  children  in  wis- 
4 


38  THE   CLEVELANDS. 

do ni's  ways,  which  are  indeed  ways  of 
pleasantness. 

During  their  walk  to  Mr.  Cleveland's,  Mrs. 
Brown  heard  from  her  talkative  companion 
all  the  particulars  of  the  Sunday  visit ;  and 
on  their  arrival,  she  found  her  flurried  spirits 
suddenly  reassured  by  the  kind  reception  of 
Mrs.  Cleveland.  In  the  course  of  the  after- 
noon, Mrs.  Brown  learned  that  Mrs.  Cleve- 
land educated  her  own  children,  and  that 
they  had  just  resumed  their  studies  since 
their  arrival,  and  the  desire  arose  in  her 
mind  that  her  only  daughter  might  be  under 
the  care  of  such  an  instructress. 

"  But  you  do  not  expect  to  complete  the 
education  of  your  children,  I  suppose,"  said 
she  to  Mrs.  Cleveland. 

"  If  I  live  and  am  blessed  with  health,  I 
hope  to  complete  that  of  our  daughters,"  she 
replied.  "  Our  sons  we  wish  to  send  to  col- 
lege. George  is  now  fourteen,  and  has 
nearly  finished  his  preparatory  course.  His 
bachelor  uncle,  whose  name  he  bears,  has 
kindly  offered  to  defray  his  expenses  through 
his  collegiate  course  ;  and  Ave  hope  to  send 
him  east  next  fall,  or  in  the  spring,  at  the 


NEIGHBORLY  CALLS.  39 

furthest.  Frank,  our  youngest,  is  but  a  little 
boy  yet,  and  will  for  years  be  under  my  care, 
if  his  life  is  spared." 

"  La,  me,"  said  Mrs.  Smith,  "  I  shouldn't 
think  of  teaching  my  children  at  home.  I 
couldn't  never  have  patience.  We  calculate, 
when  we  get  a  little  richer,  to  send  our  two 
oldest  girls  away  to  school.  As  for  John, 
who  was  here  on  Sunday,  he  says  he  knows 
enough  without  any  more  book  learnin'.  He 
can  read,  write,  and  cipher,  and  that  is 
enough.  As  for  the  younger  children,  we 
shall  most  likely  be  rich  enough  to  let  them 
go  to  school  or  not,  as  they  are  a  mind  to. 
We  mean  to  have  them  learn  to  read  and 
write,  at  any  rate  —  they  can  learn  that  at 
the  district  school." 

Here  Kate's  summons  to  tea  interrupted 
the  conversation,  and  the  visitors  soon  after 
took  their  leave. 

"  How  perfectly  disgusting  Mrs.  Smith  is 
in  her  boast  of  wealth,  proprietorship  of  the 
village,  farms,  &c,"  said  Mrs.  Brown  to  her 
husband  that  evening,  when  they  found 
themselves  alone.  "  Mrs.  Cleveland  is  too 
intelligent  not  to  read  the  character  of  Mrs. 


40  THE   CLEVELANDS. 

Smith  at  once ;  otherwise,  she  must  have 
considered  some  of  her  conversation  this 
afternoon  really  insulting." 

"  Mrs.  Smitli  is  certainly  a  weak-minded 
woman,"  replied  Mr.  Brown ;  "  but  how  do 
you  like  Mrs.  Cleveland  ?  " 

"  She  appears  like  a  lovely  woman.  I 
often  thought  this  afternoon  that  she  might 
prove  just  the  friend  I  have-  so  long  wished 
for,  if  she  should  consider  me  worthy  of  her 
friendship." 

"  Worthy  of  her  friendship !  If  she  is 
worthy  of  yours,  she  will  not  consider  you 
inferior  to  herself.  Believe  me,  dear  wife, 
this  lack  of  self-esteem  causes  you  many 
unhappy  moments.  A  virtuous,  right- 
minded  woman,  one  who  tries  to  perform 
well  the  duties  of  a  friend,  a  wife,  and  a 
mother,  is  not  beneath  any  of  the  sex  in  the 
scale  of  worth,  whatever  may  be  her  station 
in  life  —  nor  will  the  truly  great,  good,  and 
lovely,  of  either  sex,  consider  her  so." 

Tears  were  in  the  eyes  of  Mrs.  Brown,  as 
she  replied,  "  I  acknowledge  the  truth  of  all 
you  have  said  ;  but  I  can  not  overcome  that 
weakness  in  my  character.     Perhaps,"  she 


NEIGHBORLY   CALLS.  41 

added,  with  a  faint  smile,  "  you  will  think 
me  too  presuming  when  I  tell  you  another 
thought  I  had.  Mrs.  Cleveland  educates  her 
own  children,  and  I  could  not  help  wishing 
that  Clara  might  be  under  her  care  and  in- 
struction." 

"  It  would  indeed  be  very  desirable,"  s  aid 
Mr.  Brown,  "  and  when  you  become  more 
acquainted  with  Mrs.  Cleveland,  you  can  tell 
how  she  would  receive  a  proposition  to  that 
effect." 

In  a  few  weeks  Mrs.  Cleveland  had  re- 
ceived visits  from  most  of  her  neighbors,  and 
commenced  returning  them,  taking  care  to 
visit  in  the  same  rotation  that  she  had 
received  their  attentions,  that  there  might  be 
no  reason  to  accuse  her  of  slight  or  pref- 
erence. Mrs.  Smith  and  Mrs.  Brown  she 
visited  on  two  succeeding  days,  the  former 
lady  first,  as  she  considered  her  most  likely 
to  take  offense.  On  her  return  from  Mrs. 
Brown's,  she  told  her  little  girls  she  had  an 
invitation  for  them  to  vitit  Mrs.  Smith  on  the 
following  day. 

"  She  has  invited  quite  a  party  of  little 
girls  to  meet  you,  and  I  hope  you  will  re- 
4* 


42  THE   CLEVELANDS. 

member  to  treat  them  politely.  And  now," 
continued  Mrs.  Cleveland,  "  I  have  some- 
thing of  more  importance  than  our  visit  to 
communicate.  I  have  promised  Mrs.  Brown 
to  receive  her  little  Clara  into  our  family 
school." 

"  0,  we  shall  be  so  happy  to  have  a  play- 
mate !  "  said  the  delighted  Ella,  clapping  her 
hands.     "  How  old  is  she,  mamma  ?  " 

"  She  is  about  Mary's  age,  but  will  class 
with  you,  Ella.  You  will  see  her  to-morrow 
at  Mrs.  Smith's ;  but  be  careful  not  to  show 
her  any  preference,  nor  even  mention  this 
arrangement,  unless  some  one  else  speaks  of 
it  first.  Now,  my  daughters,  good  night; 
for  mamma  is  overtired." 


THE   CHILDREN'S   PARTY.  43 


CHAPTER   VI. 


THE   CHILDREN'S   PARTY. 

Disgust  concealed 
Is  ofttimes  proof  of  wisdom,  when  the  fault 
Is  obstinate,  and  cure  beyo-id  our  reach. 

Cowper's  Task. 


"  Home  again,  and  I  am  glad  of  it !  "  ex- 
claimed Ella  Cleveland,  petulantly,  as  she 
ran  into  the  house  the  following  evening, 
and,  throwing  her  bonnet  on  the  table,  flung 
herself  into  a  chair.  Mary  followed,  with  a 
frown  on  her  brow,  but  she  was  more  quiet 
in  her  indignation. 

"  Why,  girls,  what  has  happened  to  dis- 
turb you  so  ?  "  said  their  mother,  looking  up 
from  her  sewing. 

"  I  never  want  to  visit  any  more  country 
girls  as  long  as  I  live,"  said  Ella,  tossing  her 
head.  "  I  never  saw  such  an  ill-mannered 
set  in  my  life.  They  have  done  nothing  but 
insult  us  the  whole  afternoon." 

"  Who  were  they,  and  what  did  they  do  ?  " 
asked  Mrs.  Cleveland,  quietly. 


44  THE  CLEVELANDS. 

"  There  was  a  daughter  of  Mr.  Johnson, 
who  made  us  the  call  on  Sunday,  two  daugh- 
ters of  Mr.  Jones,  who  lives  in  the  village, 
Clara  Brown,  Mr.  Smith's  two  girls,  and 
ourselves.  The  rest  were  all  there  when  we 
came.  Mrs.  Smith  told  us  to  take  off  our 
bonnets  and  make  ourselves  at  home,  and  we 
were  left  to  find  out  the  names  of  our  new 
mates  as  we  could.  All  the  girls  had  knit- 
ting work,  and  they  were  just  then  very 
industrious.  No  one  spoke  to  us,  but  they 
whispered  among  themselves  about  city  girls, 
idleness  —  felt  above  work,  &c.  Finally 
Mrs.  Smith  came  in,  and  seeing  Mary  and  me 
look  rather  sad,  I  suppose,  she  proposed  that 
we  should  walktmt  to  see  the  village.  The 
girls  paired  off,  leaving  Mary  and  me  by  our- 
selves ;  but  Clara  Brown  whispered  to  Lizzie 
Johnson,  and  they  came  and  offered  to  walk 
with  us.  We  found  them  very  pleasant 
girls,  and  were  for  a  little  while  .quite  happy. 
After  we  had  walked  about  a  while,  the  Smith 
girls  proposed  that  we  should  visit  the  school 
house.  When  we  got  into  the  grove  on  this 
side,  the  girls  whispered  together  ;  and  then, 
as  we  passed  one  tree   after  another,  they 


THE   CHILDREN'S   PARTY.  45 

asked  us  what  sort  of  wood  they  were,  saying 
we  had  so  much  learning  we  must  certainly 
know.  When  we  told  them  we  did  not 
know,  they  laughed  as  loud  as  they  could, 
and  said  all  that  book  learning  was  good  for 
was  to  make  folks  lazy,  and  feel  above  their 
neighbors.  We  did  not  say  any  thing  ;  but 
when  the  Jones  and  Smith  girls  had  gone 
into  the  school  house,  we  could  not  keep 
from  crying.  Clara  and  Lizzie  had  not 
laughed  with  the  rest,  and  when  they  saw 
how  bad  we  felt,  they  tried  all  they  could  to 
comfort  us.  Clara  said  such  treatment  was 
not  right,  and  she  went  to  the  door  of  the 
school  house  to  talk  to  the  girls.  In  a  mo- 
ment she  came  running  back  as  pale  as 
death.  '  O  girls,'  said  she,  '  don't  you  think 
they  have  got  a  mock  meeting  there ;  come 
and  see  for  yourselves.'  So  we  all  went  to 
the  door,  and  sure  enough  there  they  were 
all  kneeling,  and  one  of  them  praying  in  a 
tone  of  perfect  mockery.  Pretty  soon  they 
got  up,  and  one  of  the  girls  went  behind  the 
teacher's  desk,  and  said  she  was  going  to 
preach.  They  asked  us  to  come  in  and  take 
seats,  but  we  were  too  much  shocked  with 


46  THE   CLEVELANDS. 

their  impiety ;  so  we  went  back  to  Mr. 
Smith's  as  fast  as  we  could.  When  we 
reached  the  house,  we  found  tea  ready,  and 
the  other  girls  coming  soon,  we  took  tea,  and 
were  very  glad  you  told  us  to  return  early ; 
so  we  started  for  home.  Clara  whispered, 
as  she  bade  us  '  Good  by,'  that  she  should 
commence  her  lessons  next  week,  and  Lizzie 
said  she  should  come  and  .see  us  very  soon. 
The  other  girls  said  they  would  come  a  piece 
with  us.  We  begged  them  not  to  trouble 
themselves  ;  but  come  they  would,  and  as  it 
was  nearer,  we  took  a  path  across  the  fields. 
We  soon  learned  the  object  of  their  seeming 
kindness  ;  they  would  ask  about  the  different 
kinds  of  grain  that  we  saw  growing,  and 
when  we  confessed  our  ignorance  of  all 
kinds  except  corn,  they  would  laugh  and 
whisper  among  themselves.  The  last  field 
we  passed  through  was  thickly  covered  with 
a  low  plant,  bearing  very  small  blue  flowers. 
One  of  the  girls  asked  Mary  if  she  ever  saw 
any  flax  growing.  Mary  answered,  '  No.' 
'Well,'  said  she,  'this  is  flax.'  'I  think 
not,'  replied  sister ;  '  it  grows  too  near  the 
ground.'     '  That  is  because  it  is  young,'  was 


THE   CHILDREN'S   PARTY.  47 

the  reply.  Bat  no  sooner  had  Mary  broken 
off  some  of  the  plant  to  examine  it,  than 
they  all  burst  into  a  loud,  coarse  laugh, 
called  us  '  little  fools,'  and  ran  for  home. 

"  We  were  glad  to  escape  from  our  tor- 
mentors, and  did  not  stop  till  we  found  our- 
selves in  our  own  yard.  Now,  mamma," 
continued  Ella,  "  this  is  a  long  story,  and  a 
strange  one,  too ;  but  ask  Mary  if  it  is  not 
strictly  true." 

"  True  !  jes,  indeed  ;  only  Ella  could  not 
tell  all  the  significant  looks,  the  winks,  and 
sly  whisperings,  which  are  so  annoying. 
Now,  mamma,  after  being  so  treated,  don't 
you  think  it  best  for  us  to  drop  all  inter- 
course with  those  ill-mannered  girls  ? " 

"  You  have  not  been  very  politely  treated, 
it  is  true,  and  I  do  not  want  you  to  be  inti- 
mate with  them  ;  but  I  think  an  occasional 
interchange  of  visits  may  be  rather  beneficial 
to  you  than  otherwise." 

"  Why,  mamma,  how  can  it  be  beneficial 
to  us  ?  For  you  early  taught  us  that  evil 
communications  corrupt  good  manners  ;  that 
a  person  is  known  by  the  company  he  keeps ; 
how,  then,  can  we  be  benefited  by  such 
associates  ?  " 


48  THE   CLEVELA.NDS. 

"  Perhaps  an  explanation  of  my  reasons 
would  not  be  very  agreeable,  if  it  involved 
telling  my  daughters  their  faults,"  said  Mrs. 
Cleveland,  smiling. 

"  We  must  try  to  correct  our  faults,  if  'tis 
not  quite  so  pleasant ;  so  please  explain, 
mamma,"  said  Mary,  after  musing  a  while. 

"  We  were  created  social  beings,"  said 
Mrs.  Cleveland,  "  and  at  the  same  time  an 
all-wise  Creator  has  given  to  his  creatures 
different  tastes,  modes  of  thinking,  and  traits 
of  character ;  some,  if  we  may  so  speak,  are 
naturally  amiable  and  virtuous  ;  others  seem 
to  delight  in  nothing  so  much  as  vice  and 
mischief:  education  and  example  either 
strengthen  or  change  the  natural  bent  of  the 
character.  These  very  girls  that  have  treated 
you  so  ill  have  undoubtedly  some  virtues ; 
indeed,  their  bad  conduct  may  arise  more 
from  the  want  of  proper  culture  than  from 
inherent  wickedness." 

"  But,  mamma,"  asked  Ella,  "  was  not 
their  mock  meeting  very  wicked  —  almost 
blasphemous  ?  "  « 

"  Yes,  it  was  very  wicked,"  replied  her 
mother,  "  but  not  so  wicked  for  them  as  it 
would  be  for  you." 


THE   CHILDREN'S   PARTY.  49 

"  How  can  that  be  ?  Is  not  the  same  act  as 
wicked  in  one  person  as  another  ?  " 

"  You  have  been  taught  from  your  infancy 
to  respect  religion  and  religious  worship,  and 
to  speak  the  name  of  God  reverently.  They 
have  had  no  such  instruction ;  they  have 
lived  here,  at  the  west,  away  from  Sabbath 
schools  and  churches,  and  are  alike  ignorant 
of  the  divine  precepts  and  penalties ;  and 
the  Bible  says,  '  such  shall  be  beaten  with 
few  stripes.'  And  now  [  will  tell  you  how  I 
think  you  may  be  benefited  by  occasional 
intercourse  even  with  those  whose  moral 
characters  are  not  what  we  could  wish.  You, 
my  daughters,  have  thus  far  been  brought  in 
contact'  only  with  the  refined  and  intelligent 
portion  of  the  community ;  your  morals  have 
been  carefully  guarded,  and  your  young 
minds  kept  from  the  influences  of  bad  pre- 
cept or  example.  While  this  course  has  had 
a  happy  effect  in  making  you  love  all  that  is 
lovely,  pure,  and  beautiful  in  mind  as  well 
as  matter,  it  has  led  you  into  some  false 
views  of  life,  which  you  now  have  an  oppor- 
tunity to  correct.  You,  Mary,  are  inclined  to 
a  fastidiousness,  a  morbid  sensibility,  which 
5 


50  THE   CLEVELANDS. 

would  rather  bury  itself  in  a  cloister  than 
come  in  contact  with  those  whose  virtuous 
characters  and  polished  manners  do  not  equal, 
or  nearly  so,  your  beau  ideal  of  moral  loveli- 
ness. You,  Ella,  are  differently  constituted. 
You  become  indignant,  and  are  inclined  to 
treat  with  contempt  all  those  whom  you  find 
below  your  standard  of  morality  ;  overlook- 
ing whatever  is  praisewortliy  in  their  char- 
acter or  conduct.  Now,  my  dear  girls,  I  do 
not  wish  you  to  be  on  more  than  friendly 
terms  with  those  whom  you  can  not  respect. 
I  neither  wish  you  to  imitate  their  example 
nor  copy  their  manners ;  but  in  this  wilder- 
ness, shut  out  as  we  are  from  a  choice  of 
associates,  and  living,  too,  where  there  are 
no  distinctions  in  society,  we  must  not  neg- 
lect the  cultivation  of  the  social  principle 
implanted  in  our  natures.  Situated  as  we 
are,  we  must  constantly  strive  to  improve 
ourselves,  and  at  the  same  time  exercise 
patience  and  forbearance  toward  the  failings 
of  those  around  us,  remembering  that  one 
of  the  best  ways  to  prepare  for  future  useful- 
ness is  to  learn,  while  young,  to  look  upon 
human   life,  not  as  it  might  be,  but  as  it 


THE    CHILDREN'S    PARTY.  51 

really  is.  We  have  talked  a  long  while, 
and  must  now  dismiss  this  subject  for  the 
present." 

The  next  afternoon,  when  Mrs.  Cleveland 
and  her  daughters  had  taken  their  sewing, 
Mary  resumed  the  conversation  of  the  pre- 
vious day,  by  saying,  "  Ella  and  I  found 
ourselves  in  quite  a  dilemma  yesterday,  mam- 
ma ;  and  if  you  are  not  tired  of  answering 
questions,  we  would  like  to  have  you  solve 
the  problem  for  us." 

"  Your  mother  is  never  tired  of  answering 
questions,  when  her  children  feel  disposed  to 
profit  by  her  instructions.  So  what  was  your 
dilemma,  Mary  ?  " 

"  Why,  the  girls  asked  us  a  great  many 
questions  about  our  domestic  affairs  ;  among 
the  rest,  if  we  allowed  Mike  and  Kate  to  eat 
with  us  when  we  lived  in  the  city.  I  told 
them  no.  And  when  they  wanted  to  know 
the  reason,  I  said  I  supposed  it  was  because 
we  had  such  a  large  family.  Then  they  asked 
us  if  they  ate  the  same  food  in  the  kitchen 
that  we  did  in  the  dining  room  ;  if  they 
ate  with  us  every  day  now ;  if  you  thought 
your  hired  help  as  good  as  yourself;  and  so 


52  THE   CLEVELANDS. 

many  more  that  I  got  tired,  and  told  them 
they  must  excuse  us  from  answering  any 
more  questions." 

"  Inquisitiveness  is  called  a  Yankee  trait 
of  character,  and  a  most  disagreeable  one  it 
is,  too,"  remarked  Mrs.  Cleveland.  "  But, 
Mary,  you  did  not  give  the  true  reason 
why  Mike  and  Kate  used  to  eat  in  the 
kitchen;  for  you  recollect  "our  table  was 
large  enough  to  afford  room  for  more  than 
our  own  family." 

"  I  never  thought  any  thing  about  it,  and 
did  not  know  what  to  say ;  but  what  was  the 
true  reason,  mamma  ?  " 

"  You  have  heard  the  old  maxim, '  When 
you  are  in  Rome,  you  must  do  as  Romans 
do ; '  in  other  words,  it  was  not  customary 
there ;  and  our  faithful  Katy  would  have  felt 
quite  out  of  her  element  to  have  been  obliged 
to  come  in  her  kitchen  dress,  and  sit  down 
to  her  meals  with  the  spruce  young  clerks ; 
nor  would  Mike  have  been  any  more  happy 
than  she,  to  come  in  upon  the  carpet  with 
his  clothes  soiled  and  shoes  dusty.  Then 
there  were  the  chambermaid  and  errand  boy  ; 
how  embarrassed  and  awkward  they  would 


THE   CHILDREN'S   PARTY.  53 

have  appeared  in  such  a  position !  All  of  them 
would  have  felt  that  a  crust  of  bread  and  a 
glass  of  water  by  themselves  were  preferable 
to  the  most  sumptuous  repast  under  such 
circumstances.  Their  food  was  always  the 
same  as  ours  ;  and  in  giving  them  a  sepa- 
rate table,  we  conferred  a  favor,  rather  than 
obliged  them  to  submit  to  a  degradation. 
Here  the  manners  and  customs  are  altogether 
different.  All  labor,  all  dress  nearly  alike, 
and  the  distinctions  which  there  existed,  and 
which  were  undoubtedly  for  the  happiness 
of  each  class,  are  here  unknown ;  and  it 
would  be  both  impolitic  and  ungenerous  to 
attempt  their  introduction.  As  to  thinking 
my  domestics  as  good  as  myself,  the  Bible 
says,  that  'God  made  of  one  blood  all  the 
nations  of  men  that  dwell  on  the  face  of  the 
earth.'  Besides,  I  am  too  much  of  a  repub- 
lican to  believe  in  any  other  distinctions  than 
those  that  naturally  arise  between  the  virtu- 
ous and  vicious,  the  educated  and  unedu- 
cated, and  those  of  different  tastes  and  habits. 
These  distinctions  are  not  incompatible  with 
Christianity ;  and  being  productive  of  the 
greatest  amount  of  happiness  to  all  con- 
5* 


54  THE   CLEVELANDS. 

cerned,  can  not  be  wrong.  Is  your  problem 
solved,  Mary?  " 

"  Thank  you,  mamma,  it  is,  satisfactorily. 
But,  now,  one  more  question.  Mrs.  Smith's 
daughters  boasted  a  great  deal  about  their 
father's  riches,  saying  he  was  proprietor  of 
the  village,  owning  all  except  the  few  lots 
already  built  upon,  had  a  number  of  farms, 
&c.  Do  you  know  whether.  Mr.  Smith  is 
wealthy  or  not?  " 

"  I  asked  your  father  the  same  question, 
after  I  visited  there,"  replied  Mrs.  Cleve- 
land, "  and  he  said  that  Mr.  Smith  came  here 
seven  or  eight  years  ago,  and  located  enough 
land  in .  the  vicinity  for  four  or  five  good 
farms,  any  of  which,  near  a  market,  would 
have  been  valuable.  But  here,  though  good 
land  and  well  situated,  they  are  much  less 
so.  A  part  of  the  one  on  which  he  lives  he 
laid  out  in  village  lots ;  on  the  others  he 
placed  tenants.  By  tavern-keeping,,  petty 
speculating,  &c,  he  has  probably  become 
worth  five  or  six  thousand  dollars  —  quite  a 
fortune  here,  and  one  which  himself  and 
family  deem  inexhaustible;  but  his  neigh- 
bors  begin   to  fear  that   his  rum-drinking 


SHALL   WE   HAVE   A   SABBATH  SCHOOL?     55 

propensity,  his  wife's  slatternly  mode  of 
housekeeping, — though  she  is  a  hard-work- 
ing woman, — and  the  habits  of  idleness  and 
ignorance  in  which  they  are  training  their 
children,  will  reduce  them  to  poverty,  if  not 
to  pauperism.  You  can  see,  my  dear  chil- 
dren, in  the  case  of  this  family, — acknowl- 
edged by  all  to  be  the  most  wealthy  in 
the  vicinity, — how  little  of  true  respect  the 
possession  of  wealth  will  command,  un- 
less accompanied  by  intelligence  and  moral 
worth." 


CHAPTER    VII. 

SHALL  WE  HAVE  A  SABBATH  SCHOOL  ? 

Are  there  for  feeble  lambs 
No  shepherds  ?    None  to  guide  to  living  waters  — 
To  break  the  bread  of  life  to  those  that  hunger, 
Or  pour  the  oil  of  joy  into  the  stricken  heart  — 
To  touch  the  springs  of  feeling,  and  gently  lead 
The  trembling  penitent  to  Mercy's  fount  ? 

E.  M.  S. 

What  can  be  done  for  the  religious  welfare 
of  this  community  ?  was  a  question  which 


56  THE  CLEVELANDS. 

often  arose  in  the  minds  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Cleveland,  especially  on  the  Sabbath.  Very 
seldom  was  there  preaching  of  any  kind,  and 
when  a  minister  of  the  gospel  did  visit  the 
place,  there  was  so  much  irreverence  man- 
ifested by  a  large  share  of  the  audience,  that 
no  good  effect  seemed  to  be  produced. 

Yet  these  occasional  Sabbath  services  were 
the  means  of  bringing  the  "people  together 
for  miles  around,  and  the  Clevelands  were 
much  gratified  to  find  that  a  number  of  the 
families  were  refined,  intelligent,  and  ed- 
ucated people,  driven  west  by  the  same  com- 
mercial misfortunes  which  had  affected  them- 
selves ;  but  alas !  all  were  destitute  of  the 
pearl  of  great  price  —  the  only  enduring 
riches. 

In  the  village,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brown  were 
the  only  professing  Christians,  and  the  two 
families  soon  became  much  attached  to  each 
other. 

"We  are  alone,"  said  Mr.  Cleveland  one 
day  while  conversing  with  Mr.  Brown  ;  "  we 
are  the  only  representatives  of  our  Master ; 
are  we  doing  all  we  can  for  this  perishing 
people  ?  " 


SHALL  WE  HAVE  A  SABBATH  SCHOOL?  57 

"  I  wish  we  might  establish  a  Sabbath 
school.  I  can  not  think  of  any  thing  else 
that  we  could  do,"  replied  Mr.  Brown. 

"  Mrs.  Cleveland  and  I  have  often  spoken 
of  the  same  thing,"  said  Mr.  Cleveland ; 
"  suppose  we  make  the  attempt.  Your  wife 
would  be  a  teacher  ;  would  she  not  ?  " 

"  Yes,  gladly ;  she  has  longed  for  some 
work  to  do  for,  Christ  ever  since  we  came 
here." 

"  And  she  has  done  good  service  in  the 
quiet  influence  of  a  holy  life,"  remarked  Mr. 
Cleveland. 

"  Yes,  you  can  not  imagine  what  a  bless- 
ing she  has  been  to  me  ;  I  fear  I  should  have 
wandered  far  away  but  for  her,"  said  Mr. 
Brown,  with  much  feeling.  "  Yet  my  wife 
says  a  Christian's  duties  extend  beyond  her 
own  family  circle,  and  I  believe  she  is  right." 

"  Certainly  she  is,"  replied  Mr.  Cleveland, 
"  and  it  becomes  us  all  to  ask  ourselves  why 
Providence  has  placed  us  in  this  community, 
and  to  inquire  of  the  Lord  what  he  will 
have  us  to  do.  We  may  as  well  talk  a  little 
about  that  Sabbath  school  now  as  any  time, 
if  you  are  at  leisure." 


58  THE   CLEVELANDS. 

"  Yes,  I  can  spare  an  hour  as  well  as  not, 
and  the  sooner  the  work  is  commenced  the 
better.'' 

"  It  seems  to  me  that  all  we  have  to  do  is 
to  give  out  notice  in  the  district  school  that  a 
Sabbath  school  will  be  commenced  next  Sab- 
bath," said  Mr.  Cleveland.  "  We  will  talk 
about  the  advantages  of  such  a  school  with 
all  we  happen  to  meet  duriiTg  the  week,  then 
come  together  on  the  Sabbath,  and  organize 
the  school  with  such  materials  as  Providence 
may  send.  We  shall  meet  with  some  oppo- 
sition, I  presume,  but  I  do  not  apprehend 
any  thing  serious  ;  do  you  ?  " 

"  There  may  be  some  difficulty  in  obtain- 
ing the  use  of  the  school  house,"  replied 
Mr.  Brown. 

"  You  are  one  of  the  directors,  are  you 
not  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Cleveland,  with  surprise. 

"  Yes,  but  Mr.  Smith  and  Mr.  Johnson 
are  the  other  two,  and  they  are  not  very 
favorable  to  any  religious  movement,"  said 
Mr.  Brown.  "  Besides,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smith 
are  not  pleased  because  Clara  takes  lessons 
with  your  children,"  he  added,  hesitatingly. 

"  Will  it  not  be  best  for  me  to  go  and  see 


SHALL  WE  HAVE  A  SABBATH  SCHOOL?  59 

the  other  directors  before  we  do  any  thing 
more?"  asked  Mr.  Cleveland.  "I  suppose 
you  are  willing  we  should  occupy  the  school 
house,"  he  added,  laughing. 

"  Yes,  I  believe  so,"  replied  Mr.  Brown. 

"  I  have  a  little  leisure  to-day,"  said  Mr. 
Cleveland,  "and  will  go  and  see  them  at 
once,  and  report  to  you  on  my  return." 


"  Good  morning,  Mr.  Smith ;  a  very  fine 
morning,  sir,"  said  Mr.  Cleveland,  stepping 
up  to  a  railing  in  one  corner  of  the  bar 
room,  behind  which  Mr.  Smith  was  perform- 
ing the  duties  of  postmaster. 


60  THE    CLEVELANDS. 

"  Good  morning,  sir,  good  morning  ;  glad 
you've  come  ;  here's  two  letters  and  a  heap 
of  papers  for  you,"  said  Mr.  Smith.  "  Guess 
if  you  should  move  out  of  town  we  should 
have  to  shut  up  the  post  office  ; "  and  he 
laughed  uproariously  at  his  attempt  at  witty 
compliment. 

"  Oh,  not  quite  so  bad  as  that,"  said  Mr. 
Cleveland,  smiling.  "  I  haye  a  little  busi- 
ness with  you  as  soon  as  you  are  at  liberty," 
he  added. 

"  I  believe  I  am  through  now  till  some  one 
else  comes  in,"  said  Mr.  Smith,  turning 
around  from  the  row  of  shelves  filled  with 
letters  and  papers,  and  leaning  lazily  against 
the  railing. 

"  I  came  to  inquire  if  you  have  any  objec- 
tion to  the  school  house  being  occupied  two 
hours  every  Sabbath  by  a  Sabbath  school  ? " 
asked  Mr.  Cleveland. 

"  I  don't  suppose  the  young  ones  would 
hurt  the  school  house  any,  but  seems  to  me 
five  days  and  a  half  is  quite  as  much  time  as 
children  ought  to  he  kept  in  school,  and  I 
should  think  the  teacher  would  want  to  rest 
over  Sunday,  too,"  said  Mr.  Smith. 


SHALL  WE   HAVE   A   SABBATH   SCHOOL?    61 

"  Oh,  you  know  a  Sabbath  school  is  ex- 
pressly for  studying  the  Bible,  and  any  one 
who  lores  that  holy  book  can  be  a  teacher. 
I  suppose  you  were  accustomed  to  Sabbath 
schools  when  you  lived  at  the  east,"  said  Mr. 
Cleveland. 

"  No  ;  I  have  always  lived  in  a  new  coun- 
try —  was  born  in  the  Genesee  Valley  when 
it  was  all  woods,  and  came  here  as  soon  as 
the  land  was  for  sale ;  so,  you  see,  I  don't 
know  much  about  religion,  and  all  those 
new-fangled  notions." 

"  I  think  you  would  like  to  have  your 
children  attend  the  Sabbath  school,"  said 
Mr.  Cleveland,  "  and  you  would  look  in  upon 
us  occasionally." 

"  Well,  I  don't  know  ;  I  shouldn't  like  to 
give  my  consent  to  have  the  school  house 
used  unless  I  knew  who  would  be  the  teach- 
ers*, and  what  they  would  charge." 

"  I  shall  be  one  of  the  teachers,  and  Mrs. 
Cleveland  another,  and  we  hope  a  number 
of  others  will  volunteer ;  perhaps  you  would 
be  one,"  said  Mr.  Cleveland.  "  As  for  the 
price,  we  do  not  want  any  pay  ;  it  will  be  a 
6 


62  THE   CLEVELANDS. 

great  privilege  to  teach  the  dear  children  the 
way  to  heaven." 

"  I  guess  I  wouldn't  do  for  a  teacher, 
then,"  remarked  Mr.  Smith,  "for  I  don't 
know  tire  way  myself;  but,  as  you  say, 
I  would  like  to  have  my  children  learn ;  so 
you  may  have  the  school  house,  for  what  I 
care.  I  suppose  you've  got  Brown's  consent ; 
he's  a  wonderful  pious  man,  you  know." 

"  Yes,  and  I  hope  he  will  be  one  of  the 
teachers ;  you  consider  him  a  Christian,  do 
you  not  ? "  asked  Mr.  Cleveland,  a  little 
anxiously. 

"  Oh, yes,  I  guess  so ;  though  I  never  could 
Understand  how  he  should  be  so  quiet  and 
submissive,  I  believe  you  call  it,  when  little 
Annie  died ;  I  should  have  raved  like  a 
madman.  She  was  the  sweetest  little  thing 
I  ever  saw  ;  they  hadn't  been  here  more  than 
three  months  when  she  died." 

"  That  is  just  what  religion  is  good  for," 
said  Mr.  Cleveland ;  "  it  helps  us  to  bear 
every  affliction  patiently,  knowing  that '  our 
Father  doeth  all  things  well.'  " 

"  I  don't  know  any  thing  about  it,  but  you 
can  have  the  school  house,"  said  Mr.  Smith. 


SHALL  WE   HAVE   A   SABBATH   SCHOOL?    63 

"  Good  morning,  Mr.  Simpson ;  glad  to  see 
you."  And  Mr.  Smith  went  behind  the  bar 
to  wait  on  a  rum  customer  with  the  air  of 
a  man  glad  to  be  released  from  an  unpleas- 
ant position. 

"  I  think  I  will  go  right  down  and  see  Mr. 
Johnson,"  said  Mr.  Cleveland.  "  Good 
morning." 

"  Good  morning,  sir,  good  morning," 
replied  Mr.  Smith,  rubbing  his  hands  and 
nodding. 

Mr.  Johnson's  farm  was  a  mile  from  the 
village,  and  the  sun  was  becoming  uncom- 
fortably warm,  —  for  it  was  now  ten  o'clock 
in  the  morning  of  a  sultry  day  in  July,  —  and 
Mr.  Cleveland  felt  the  depressing  effect  both 
of  the  weather  and  the  interview.  "  Desola- 
tion, desolation !  "  he  exclaimed,  as  he  turned 
away  from  the  door  of  that  miserable  tavern  ; 
"  to  think  of  bringing  up  my  children  amid 
such  influences  !  "  and  for  a  moment  the 
earthly  father's  heart  rebelled  against  that 
heavenly  Father  whose  providence  had 
placed  them  there.  'Twas  but  for  a  mo- 
ment. "  Oh,  forgive  me,  for  I  have  sinned, 
and  help  me  to  say, '  Even  so,  Father,  for  so 


64  THE  CLEVELANDS. 

it  seemeth  good  in  thy  sight,'  "  was  the  sweet 
outbreathing  of  an  obedient  spirit ;  and  all 
again  was  peace. 

Most  of  the  way  lay  through  a  dense  for- 
est, with  only  a  wagon  track  marked  out  by 
blazed  trees,  and  the  cool  shade  of  the  thick 
canopy  of  green  above  him  was  very  grateful. 
The  morning  song  of  the  birds  had  ceased, 
but  they  flitted  hither  and  thither  among  the 
green  boughs,  and  he  heard  now  and  then  a 
loving  twitter  over  some  late  nest  of  fledg- 
lings. Nimble  squirrels  ran  up  the  trunks 
of  the  trees,  or  chattered  saucily  from  the 
overhanging  boughs,  and  the  timid  rabbit 
leaped  nervously  away  from  the  approaching 
footsteps.  All  nature  was  in  the  maturity 
of  its  summer  glory,  and  Mr.  Cleveland  soon 
found  his  own  spirit  attuned  to  the  harmony 
of  nature.  "  O  Lord,  I  will  not  distrust 
thee,"  he  exclaimed  ;  "  hast  thou  not  said, 
'  The  wilderness  and  the  solitary  place  shall 
be  glad  for  them,  and  the  desert  shall  rejoice 
and  blossom  as  the  rose  ? '  Surely,  I  came 
here  because  thou  hast  a  work  for  me  to  do  ; 
give  me  grace  to  do  thy  holy  will." 

Mr.  Johnson's   house   and   farm   had   an 


SHALL   WE   HA  YE   A    SABBATH   SCHOOL?    65 

appearance  of  greater  thrift  and  comfort 
than  Mr.  Cleveland  had  expected ;  the  fences 
were  in  good  repair,  and  he  noticed  with 
peculiar  pleasure  that  shade  trees  had  been 
left  standing ;  in  the  front  yard  and  along 
the  path  to  the  gate  were  well-kept  beds  of 
flowers.  Near  the  house,  on  the  right,  a 
small  orchard  waved  its  young  boughs  cheer- 
ily, and  on  the  left  a  field  of  wheat,  almost 
ready  for  the  harvest,  nodded  in  golden 
glory.  Further  in  the  distance,  fields  of  corn 
and  potatoes  looked  green  and  promising. 
Opening  the  rnde  gate,  he  slowly  approached 
the  house,  vainly  scanning  the  fields,  to  dis- 
cover their  owner.  All  was  still ;  the  chil- 
dren, he  knew,  were  at  school,  and  doubtless 
Mrs.  Johnson  was  busy  with  her  domestic 
affairs.  He  reached  the  house,  and  rapped 
on  the  open  door. 

"  Come  in,"  said  a  feeble  voice. 

Mr.  Cleveland  entered,  and  was  surprised 
to  see  Mr.  Johnson  attempting  to  rise  from  a 
bed  which  stood  in  one  corner  of  the  room. 

"  Oh,  good  morning,  Mr.  Cleveland,"  said 
he ;  "I  am  glad  to  see  you ;  walk  in,  and 
help  yourself  to  a  chair." 
6* 


66  THE   CLEVELAND3. 

"  Why,  I  am  surprised  to  find  you  sick," 
exclaimed  Mr.  Cleveland,  stepping  forward 
and  shaking  hands  with  the  sick  man. 

"  Only  the  ague,  I  think,"  said  Mr.  John- 
son, "  but  it  affects  me  worse  than  it  ever 
did  before ;  I  have  been  sick  only  a  few  days, 
yet  I  am  very  weak ;  "  and  he  sank  back  on 
his  pillow. 

"  Only  the  ague ! "  repeated  Mr.  Cleve- 
land ;  "  what  would  you  have  worse  ?  I 
think  it  one  of  the  worst  diseases  I  ever  saw, 
though  I  never  suffered  from  it." 

"  Yes,  it  is  bad  enough,  but  you  know  it 
don't  kill  people  ;  so  a  man  never  gets  pitied 
if  he  has  it  ever  so  hard." 

"  The  rest  of  your  family  are  all  well, 
I  hope." 

"  Yes,  quite  well,  I  thank  you." 

Mrs.  Johnson  now  came  in,  and  was  in- 
troduced to  Mr.  Cleveland.  Her  manners 
were  quiet  and  pleasing,  very  unlike  those 
of  Mrs.  Smith,  with  whom  Mr.  Cleveland 
had  unconsciously  associated  her.  After  a 
few  minutes  spent  in  conversation,  Mrs. 
Johnson  withdrew  to  attend  to  her  household 
duties. 


SHALL   WE   HAVE  A   SABBATH   SCHOOL?    67 

"  I  have  called  on  two  of  the  directors  to 
got  their  permission  to  open  a  Sabbath  school 
in  the  school  house,  and  came  to  get  your 
consent  also,"  said  Mr.  Cleveland. 

"  I  shall  be  very  glad  to  have  a  Sabbath 
school  established ;  my  poor  children  are 
growing  up.  like  the  heathen,"  said  Mr. 
Johnson,  with  emotion. 

"  Will  you  not  help  us  in  the  good  work 
when  you  get  well  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Cleveland. 

"I  —  I  help  you?  Why,  Mr.  Cleveland, 
don't  you  know  I  am  a  wicked  man  ?  I 
don't  know  the  way  myself;  how  then  can  I 
teach  others  ? " 

"First  learn  the  way  yourself.  Do  you 
not  feel  the  need  of  an  all-sympathizing 
Friend,  now  in  your  illness  ?  "  asked  Mr. 
Cleveland. 

"  Yes,  indeed,"  replied  Mr.  Johnson ; 
"  the  subject  has  scarcely  been  out  of  my 
mind  since  I  called  at  your  house  that  first 
Sabbath  after  you  came,  and  I  have  not  pat- 
ronized Mr.  Smith's  tavern  since.  I  have 
longed  to  come  and  tell  you  my  feelings,  but 
could  not  muster  the  courage.  I  want  to 
become  a  Christian,  but  do  not  quite  under- 
stand what  I  am  to  do." 


68  THE   CLEVELANDS. 

"  The  gospel  plan  is  so  simple  that  we  can 
scarcely  believe  it,"  remarked  Mr.  Cleveland. 
"  Repentance  toward  God,  and  faith  in  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  are  the  only  conditions  of 
our  pardon  and  acceptance  with  him." 

"  I  know  it  all  seems  very  simple,  but 
after  all  I  can't  quite  understand  it,"  said 
Mr.  Johnson,  with  a  sigh. 

"  Perhaps  I  can  help  your-some,"  said  Mr. 
Cleveland,  tenderly,  for  he  knew  how  thick 
seems  the  spiritual  darkness  when  the 
soul  first  begins  to  feel  its  necessities.  "  Re- 
pent; be  sorry,  really  sorry  that  you  have 
sinned,  and  resolve,  with  God's  help,  to  for- 
sake all  your  sinful  course,  and  live  a  life  of 
obedience  to  the  precepts  of  the  gospel. 
Believe  that  Jesus  died  to  save  you,  not  only 
from  the  penalty  of  God's  broken  law,  but 
from  your  own  sinful  self,  and  that  he  is  will- 
ing and  waiting  to  adopt  you  into  his  family, 
and  finally  to  give  you  a  crown  of  glory  in 
heaven." 

"  But  must  not  I  pray  a  great  deal,  and 
read  the  Bible,  and  do  all  I  can  to  make 
myself  better,  before  I  believe  ?  "  asked  Mr. 
Johnson. 


SHALL   WE   HAVE   A    SABBATH   SCHOOL?    69 

"  No ;  you  must  believe  now,  at  once ; 
give  yourself  right  up  to  him,  sins  and  all, 
just  as  you  are,  and  let  Christ  forgive  you 
and  save  you.  You  can  not  make  yourself 
any  better  —  you  do  not  feel  that  you  are 
any  better  than  you  were  when  you  first 
began  to  think  of  this  subject;  do  you? 
And  yet  I  presume  you  have  read  the  Bible, 
and  prayed  a  great  deal ;  have  you  not  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  have  read,  and  prayed,  and 
thought,  till  I  have  been  almost  discouraged, 
for  I  seem  to  be  growing  worse  and  worse, 
more  and  more  wicked  every  day,"  said  Mr. 
Johnson,  with  a  sigh. 

"  Then  you  feel  more  and  more  the  need 
of  one  who  will  redeem  you  from  all  this 
sin  and  wretchedness,"  said  Mr.  Cleveland. 
"  Jesus  came  to  save  sinners  —  not  the  right- 
eous. Can  you  not  give  yourself  up  to  him 
to  be  saved  in  his  own  way  ?  " 

"  I  will  try.  Will  you  pray  with  me,  Mr. 
Cleveland  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Johnson,  in  an  im- 
ploring tone. 

"  Gladly,"  was  the  reply  ;  and  Mr.  Cleve- 
land knelt  by  the  sick  man's  bedside,  and 
poured  out  his  soul  in  prayer  for  the  con- 


70  THE   CLEVELANDS. 

version  of  the  soul,  and  for  the  speedy  re- 
covery of  the  bodily  health. 

"  Amen  !  "  was  the  heartfelt  response  of 
the  sick  man,  when  the  prayer  was  ended. 

"  I  have  made  you  a  long  visit,"  said  Mr. 
Cleveland,  after  a  few  minutes'  conversation  ; 
"  let  me  beg  you  to  adopt  the  language  of 
these  beautiful  lines  as  your  own  resolve  :  — 

1  Just  as  I  am,  without  one  plea 
But  that  thy  blood  was  shed  for  me, 
And  that  thou  bidd'st  me  come  to  thee, 
O  Lamb  of  God,  I  come  ! '  " 

•  Just  as  I  am,  and  waiting  not 
To  rid  my  soul  from  one  dark  blot, 
To  thee,  whose  blood  can  cleanse  each  spot, 
O  Lamb  of  God,  I  come  ! ' " 

"  I  am  so  thankful  you  came  !  "  said  Mr. 
Johnson,  grasping  Mr.  Cleveland's  hand  :  "  a 
kind  Providence  sent  you,  I  am  sure." 

"  Not  a  sparrow  falls  to  the  ground  with- 
out his  notice  ;  and  will  he  not  direct  us,  if 
we  only  submit  ourselves  to  his  guidance  ?  " 
said  Mr.  Cleveland.  "  Give  yourself  en- 
tirely into  his  hands  ;  trust  him  fully ;  '  only 
believe.' " 


THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  BEGUN.      71 

With  a  light  step,  and  a  heart  full  of 
prayer  and  praise,  did  Mr.  Cleveland  wend 
his  way  homeward.  He  had  caught  a  glimpse 
of  the  loving  Father's  purpose  in  bringing 
him  hither.  Oh,  if  he  might  be  the  means  of 
leading  souls  to  Jesus !  With  tearful  eyes 
he  related  to  Mr.  Brown  the  success  of  his 
interviews,  and  with  warmly-clasped  hands, 
they  mutually  pledged  themselves  to  prayer 
and  unwearied  effort  for  the  salvation  of  the 
community  in  which  God  had  placed  them. 


CHAPTER    Vm. 

THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  BEGUN. 

See  those  who  are  by  grace  made  free 

Bend  o'er  each  class  with  soul-lit  eye, 
Point  to  the  Lamb  of  Calvary, 

And  speak  of  hopes  which  cannot  die ; 
While  answering  look  and  heaving  breast 
Assert  the  truth  received  with  zest. 

E.  M.  S. 

The  news  that  there  was  to  be  a  Sabbath 
school  organized  the  next  Sabbath  had  been 
most  industriously  circulated  by  the  children, 


72  THE   CLEVELANDS. 

and  variously  discussed  by  their  elders,  dur- 
ing the  week ;  and  when  Saturday  night 
came,  many  bright  eyes  were  scanning  the 
sky  for  weather-signs  for  the  morrow. 

Sunday  morning  dawned  at  last,  bright  and 
beautiful.  As  there  was  to  be  no  preaching, 
the  Sabbath  school  meeting  had  been  ap- 
pointed at  the  usual  hour  of  morning  service. 
Long  before  the  time,  parents,  with  children 
of  all  ages,  from  overgrown  school  girls, 
and  great,  awkward  boys,  to  "  toddling  wee 
things,"  —  for  it  had  gone  forth  that  there 
would  be  an  infant  class, — were  seen  emer- 
ging from  the  forest  in  every  direction ;  and 
when  the  Cleveland  family  arrived,  prompt 
to  the  hour,  they  found  the  rather  capacious 
log  school  house  well  filled. 

Mr.  Brown  rose,  and  stated  the  object  for 
which  they  were  assembled,  and  called  on 
Mr.  Cleveland  to  conduct  the  exercises  as  he 
thought  proper. 

Mr.  Cleveland  took  a  Bible  from  his  pock- 
et, and  read  the  Saviour's  invitation  to  little 
children.  He  then  asked  the  children  if  any 
of  them  could  sing  "  Happy  Land."  Half  a 
dozen  little  hands  were  raised,  and  with  the 


THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  BEGUN.      73 

aid  of  a  few  Sabbath  school  hymn  books,  the 
song  which  every  child  loves  was  very  well 
sung.  In  simple  and  appropriate  language, 
Mr.  Cleveland  then  besought  the  divine 
blessing  on  this  attempt  to  serve  Him,  and 
most  fervently  did  he  implore  the  descent  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  with  its  reviving  influences 
and  converting  power.  He  then  gave  a  brief 
history  of  the  rise,  progress,  and  design  of 
Sabbath  schools,  and  closed  by  asking  the 
question,  "  Shall  we  to-day  organize  a  Sab- 
bath school,  and  will  we  mutually  agree  to 
help  sustain  it  and  give  it  interest?  "  Call- 
ing for  free  remarks  from  all  present,  he 
then  took  his  seat. 

A  few  expressed  their  gratification  that 
their  children  would  again  enjoy  the  privi- 
lege of  religious  instruction,  and  a  total 
silence  ensued. 

Close  by  the  door  sat  Mr.  Smith.  At 
length  he  arose,  and,  wiping  his  forehead 
with  a  large  red  bandana,  said  he  had  no 
objections  to  the  school,  if  it  would  pay  its 
own  way.  "  For  my  part,"  said  he,  "  I 
think  the  day  school  is  enough;  and  I  am 
sure  the  school  taxes  are  high  enough. 
7 


74      *  THE   CLEVELANDS. 

I  know  the  teachers  are  not  paid,  and  we 
give  the  use  of  the  school  house ;  but  there 
must  be  some  expense  somewhere.  Now  I 
should  like  to  know  just  what  it  is,  before  I 
vote  for  the  school." 

"  I  am  very  glad  you  mentioned  the  sub- 
ject," said  Mr.  Cleveland;  "and  I  should  be 
happy  to  tell  you  beforehand  all  I  know  of 
the  matter.  To  have  a  first-rate  school,  we 
shall  need  a  Sabbath  school  library,  costing 
seven  or  ten  dollars,  and  Testaments  and 
singing  books,  costing  about  seven  more  ; 
then  every  year  we  shall  need  about  five 
dollars'  worth  of  new  books,  to  keep  up  the 
interest  of  the  children.  If  we  continue  the 
school  during  the  winter,  it  will  take  one  or 
two  loads  of  wood.  I  do  not  know  of  any 
other  expense." 

"  Well,  I  should  think  that  was  enough. 
Fourteen  dollars,  at  least,  to  begin  with.  I 
wonder  who  has  that  amount  of  money  to 
give!  I'm  sure  I  have  not;"  and,  seizing 
his  hat,  he  pushed  it  down  over  his  eyes, 
and  walked  out. 

"  The  difficulty  of  raising  money  is  obvi- 
ated  for   the   present,   at  least,"    said   Mr. 


THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  BEGUN.      75 

Cleveland,  addressing  the  audience.  "  The 
Sabbath  school  with  which  I  was  connected 
in  New  York  gave  me  a  complete  library, 
to  be  used  in  the  village  where  I  should 
reside  ;  and  I  hope  by  next  year  we  shall 
love  the  Sabbath  school  so  well,  that  its 
necessary  expenses  will  seem  rather  a  pleas- 
ure than  a  burden.  The  children  are  getting 
restless.  Shall  we  try  that  same  song  again, 
children  ?  " 

There  was  a  fine  show  of  little  hands,  and 
"  Happy  Land"  was  sung  with  greatly  in- 
creased zest. 

"  Shall  we  now  take  a  vote  on  the  organi- 
zation of  the  school  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Cleveland. 
A  motion  was  made  by  Mr.  Brown,  that  a 
Sabbath  school  be  organized  and  sustained. 
The  motion  was  supported  by  Mr.  Dascomb, 
a  new  settler,  who  lived  about  two  miles  dis- 
tant, and  the  affirmative  vote  was  unanimous. 
Mr.  Cleveland  was  then  elected  superintend- 
ent, Mr.  Brown  assistant,  and  Mr.  Dascomb 
librarian. 

Mr.  Cleveland  briefly  thanked  his  neigh- 
bors for  the  honor  conferred,  and  pledged 
himself,  by  divine  assistance,  to  be  faithful 
to  the  spiritual  interests  of  their  children. 


76  THE   CLEVELANDS. 

With  Mr.  Brown's  assistance,  he  then  pro- 
ceeded to  classify  the  scholars.  This  portion 
of  the  work  was  soon  accomplished.  Teach- 
ers were  provided  as  far  as  they  could  be 
obtained;  Mrs.  Cleveland  being  duly  installed 
over  the  infant  class,  whose  long,  low  seat 
was  placed  across  the  capacious  fireplace ; 
and  more  than  one  little  face  was  upturned 
to  catch  a  glimpse  of  the  blue  sky  through 
the  broad  top  of  the  stick  chimney. 

The  lesson  for  the  next  Sabbath  was  given 
out,  and  the  teachers  spent  a  little  time  in 
hearing  their  classes  read,  making  such 
changes  in  the  first  arrangement  as  seemed 
necessary,  and  explaining  the  lesson  as  an 
assistance  to  the  undisciplined  minds  of  the 
little  ones.  Mrs.  Cleveland  chatted  pleas- 
antly with  her  little  flock,  and  completely 
won  their  hearts  by  telling  of  the  dear  Sa- 
viour's love  for  little  children. 

The  school  was  then  closed  by  singing  a 
doxology,  and  the  assembly  quietly  dis- 
persed. 

"  Now,  if  we  could  only  have  a  prayer 
meeting,  to  ask  the  blessing  of  God  upon 
these  efforts,  I  should  feel  that  we  were  really 


THE  SABBATH  SCHOOL  BEGUN.      77 

getting  into  something  like  working  order," 
said  Mr.  Cleveland,  as  he  and  Mr.  Brown 
were  slowly  walking  homeward. 

"  I  wish  your  family  would  come  to  my 
house  at  five  o'clock  this  evening,"  said  Mr. 
Brown ;  "we  might  have  a  meeting  large 
enough  to  claim  the  promise." 

"Thank  you;  we  will  if  Mrs.  Cleveland 
is  not  too  much  fatigued.  I  was  quite  sur- 
prised to  meet  with  so  little  opposition  to-day. 
Didn't  you  expect  more  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  but  the  greatest  trial-time  has  not 
yet  come,"  was  the  reply.  "When  the  nov- 
elty wears  off,  there  will  probably  be  a  re- 
action." 

"  Unless,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  some  of 
these  hearts  should  become  enlisted  in  his 
service.  Oh,  let  us  pray  earnestly  for  this," 
said  Mr.  Cleveland,  with  emotion. 

"  We  will !  "  was  the  earnest  response ;  and 
these  two  laborers,  to  whom  God  had  given 
this  great  field  of  missionary  effort,  sought 
each  his  home  and  his  closet. 
7* 


78  THE   CLEVELANDS. 

CHAPTER    IX. 

THE  PRAYER   MEETING. 

Still  on  beyond  time's  utmost  bounds 
Around  the  throne  of  God  in  heaven 

Their  reunited  praise  resounds 
For  grace  received  and  sins  forgiven ; 

And  'mong  the  gifts  of  priceless  worth 

Was  named  the  Sabbath  school  on  earth. 

E.  M.  S. 

"  Mother,  mother  !  I  guess  we  can  have  a 
Sabbath  school,  if  we  do  live  in  the  woods," 
said  little  Lottie  Dascomb,  clapping  her 
hands  joyfully,  as  she  ran  into  the  house. 

"  Gently,  gently,  my  child  you  will  wake 
the  baby,"  said  her  mother,  smiling  at  the 
child's  enthusiasm.  "  Put  away  your  bon- 
net, my  dear,  and  then  come  and  tell  me  all 
about  the  new  school."  The  delighted  child 
skipped  away,  and  the  mother  was  soon 
listening  to  a  minute  account  of  the  whole 
meeting.  "  And  father  was  chosen  libra- 
rian. What  is  a  librarian,  mother?"  asked 
Lottie,  with  a  puzzled  look. 

"  A  librarian  is  one  who  takes  care  of  the 


THE   PRAYER  MEETING.  79 

books,  and  gives  them  out  to  the  children," 
replied  her  mother. 

"  But  he  does  not  give  them  to  us  to  keep ; 
does  he,  mother  ? " 

"  No ;  he  numbers  them  all ;  then,  when 
you  take  one,  he  writes  down  the  number 
opposite  your  name,  and  when  you  bring 
that  one  back  he  crosses  off  that  number, 
and  puts  down  the  number  of  the  new  book 
which  you  take.     Do  you  understand  it  ?  " 

"  Oh,  yes,"  said  Lottie.  "  I  am  so  glad  we 
have  a  Sabbath  school!  1  guess  I  shall  not 
grow  up  a  heathen,  i£  I  do  live  at  the  west. 
Cousin  Lucy  said  I  would." 

"  I  hope  not,"  replied  her  mother,  smiling. 

Mr.  Cleveland's  children  were  almost  as 
enthusiastic  as  little  .Lottie,  and  their  tongues 
ran  merrily  for  a  time. 

"  Mamma,  I  think  you  had  more  than  your 
share  of  scholars  to-day,"  said  Ella ;  "  and 
they  were  not  all  quite  of  an  age,  either." 

"  Not  very  much  difference  in  age,  I  think," 
said  Mrs.  Cleveland ;  "  and  you  know  the 
infant  class  should  be  large.  I  thought  there 
were  quite  too  few." 

"  Ella   refers   to   that    long   seat   full   of 


80  THE   CLEVELANDS. 

young  men,  who  sat  right  behind  you,  and 
would  not  join  any  class,"  said  Mary. 

"  They  were  very  attentive  listeners,"  re- 
marked Mr.  Cleveland ;  "  and  if  they  will 
come  even  to  hear  what  you  and  others  say, 
it  may  do  them  good." 

"  Certainly,"  said  Mrs.  Cleveland  ;  "  but  I 
should  have  been  embarrassed  if  I  had  known 
they  were  there.  However,  I  will  try  to  be 
prepared  for  it  now.  Having  the  children 
sit  in  the  fireplace  is  a  nice  arrangement  for 
me,"  she  added ;  "  I  am  not  compelled  to 
face  the  audience." 

"  But  it  is  so  funny  to  see  the  children 
looking  up  the  chimney!  "  said  Ella. 

"  Mr.  Brown  invited  us  to  come  to  his 
house  this  afternoon  for  a  little  prayer  meet- 
ing. Shall  we  go  ? "  said  Mr.  Cleveland, 
addressing  his  wife. 

"  Oh,  yes ;  I  should  like  it  very  much," 
was  her  reply,  in  a  glad  tone. 

"  May  we  go,  too,  papa  ?  "  asked  Mary. 

'*  Yes,  as  many  of  you  as  wish,"  said  her 
father. 

That  afternoon  a  prayer  meeting  was  es- 
tablished in  Smithton. 


THE    PRAYER    MEETING.  81 

"  0  father,  father !  I  wish  you  and  moth- 
er had  been  at  the  Sabbath  school  to-day,  we 
had  such  a  nice  time,"  said  Fannie  Johnson, 
a  child  five  years  old,  as  she  threw  her  weary 
little  self  into  a  chair,  and  leaned  her  head 
down  on  the  side  of  the  bed. 

Mr.  Johnson  passed  his  hand  caressingly 
over  the  little  head  wet  with  perspiration. 
"  Did  you  have  a  pleasant  time,  too,  Lizzie  ?  " 
said  he,  addressing  his  oldest  daughter.         • 

"  Yes,  father ;  and  I  hope  you  and  mother 
will  both  be  able  to  go  next  Sabbath.  I 
think  you  will  like  it." 

"  Who  is  your  teacher,  little  puss  ?  "  asked 
the  father,  patting  Fannie's  head. 

"Mrs.  Cleveland,"  replied  the  child;  "and, 
O  father,"  she  exclaimed,  starting  up,  "she 
told  us  such  a  pretty  story  about  Jesus!  She 
said  he  loved  little  children,  and  even  wicked 
men  and  women,  so  well,  that  he  came  clear 
down  from  heaven  to  die  for  them,  so  that 
they  could  go  to  heaven  and  live  with  him 
for  ever.  And  now,  she  said,  any  body  who 
would  only  love  the  dear  Saviour,  would 
certainly  go  to  heaven ;  children,  too !  just 
think  of  it !     Did  you  know  that,  father  ?  " 


82  THE  CLEVELANDS. 

';  Yes,  my  child ;  I  was  told  that  when  I 
was  a  very  little  boy." 

"  But  you  never  told  me,  father." 
"  No,  my  child,  and  I  am  very  sorry." 
"  Do  you  love  that  dear  Jesus,  father  ?  " 
"  I   hope   I  do,  my  daughter,"  said   Mr. 
Johnson,  with  emotion.     "  I  have  only  just 
begun  to  love  him,  and  I  want  so  much  to 
get  well,   and   then   we   can   all    read   the 
•Bible  and  pray  together,  morning  and  night. 
Would  you  like  that,  Fannie  ?  " 

"  Yes,  indeed  !  and  I  guess  mother  would 
like  it,  too.     Wouldn't  you,  mother  ?  " 

"  Certainly,  I  should  have  no  objections," 
replied  Mrs.  Johnson,  coldly.  Rising  im- 
mediately, she  passed  into  the  kitchen  to 
prepare  a  lunch  for  the  tired  children. 

Poor  Mr.  Johnson  !  This  was  the  first  time 
he  had  dared  to  confess  his  love  for  the  Sa- 
viour. It  had  been  a  great  cross ;  and  now, 
she,  who,  of  all  others,  he  thought  would 
rejoice  most,  had  chilled  him  to  the  soul. 
Why  was  this  ?  She  was  a  professing  Chris- 
tian when  he  married  her.  Had  she  learned 
the  fallacy  of  her  own  hopes,  and  so  felt 
saddened  that  he  had  fallen  into  the  same 


THE   PRAYER   MEETING.  83 

snare  ?  His  nerves  were  weakened  by  sick- 
ness, and  this  sudden  reaction  was  too  much ; 
the  tears  rolled  down  his  cheeks,  and  his 
breast  heaved  with  emotion. 

"  Don't  cry,  father ;  "  whispered  little  Fan- 
nie, wiping  away  his  tears  with  her  apron. 
"  It  isn't  wrong  to  love  Jesus.  I  wish  I  loved 
him,  too.  Will  he  really  help  me  to  love  him, 
if  I  ask  him,  as  Mrs.  Cleveland  said  ?  " 

"  Yes,  darling.  Now  run  away  a  little 
while,  and  let  father  think." 

"  And  pray  in  your  heart,  too,  I  guess." 
And  the  little  one  kissed  him,  and  quietly 
slid  down,  and  ran  out  into  the  yard. 

Mrs.  Johnson's  mind  was  in  a  perfect 
tumult.  Her  husband  converted  while  she 
had  been  a  wanderer ;  scarcely  praying,  even 
in  form,  either  for  him  or  for  herself.  He 
was  a  Christian.  Was  she  one  ?  Dared  she 
hope,  when  she  had  so  sadly  neglected  a 
wife's  holiest  duty?  She  could  not  weep; 
she  dared  not  pray  ;  and,  calling  her  children 
to  their  lunch,  she  was  just  passing  out  of 
the  door  to  get  away  from  human  sight  for 
a  time,  when  she  heard  her  husband  call- 
ing her. 


84  THE   CLEVELANDS. 

"  I  think  Mr.  Cleveland's  visit  was  greatly 
blessed  to  me.  Will  you  forgive  me  for  not 
telling  you  sooner?"  said  Mr.  Johnson,  as  his 
wife  approached  the  bed-side.  "  You  are 
glad  I  love  the  Saviour;  are  you  not  ?  " 

"  Yes.  But,  0  James,  I  need  to  ask  your 
forgiveness  and  the  forgiveness  of  my  Father 
in  heaven,"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Johnson,  burst- 
ing into  tears ;  "  I  have  been  so  unfaithful 
as  a  professedly  Christian  wife  and  mother." 

"  You  had  no  one  to  help  you  along,  dear 
wife,  and  it  is  very  hard  for  a  loving  woman 
to  go  on  alone ;  rather  a  dangerous  experi- 
ment to  marry  an  irreligious  man,  as  you 
did ;  but  I  will  try  to  help  you  now ;  and 
He  who  has  so  freely  pardoned  me  will  also 
forgive  you,  and  bless  us  both  in  his  service, 
I  trust." 

The  children  now  came  running  in  ;  and, 
with  a  significant  look,  Mrs.  Johnson  rose 
and  left  the  room. 

When  she  returned,  an  hour  later,  her 
face  bespoke  that  peace  which  the  world  can 
not  give,  and  the  last  rays  of  the  Sabbath 
sun  rested  on  no  happier  earthly  abodo  than 
that  rude  forest  home. 


FRUITS.  85 


CHAPTER    X. 

FRUITS. 

Still  on  it  creeps, 
Each  little  moment  at  another's  heels, 
Till  hours,  days,  years,  and  ages  are  made  up 
Of  such  small  parts  as  these,  and  men  look  back 
Worn  and  bewildered,  wondering-  how  it  is. 

Joanna  Baillik's  Rayneb. 

We  will  pass  over  an  interval  of  ten  years, 
equal  in  the  growth  of  western  cities  and 
villages  to  a  century  of  olden  time. 

Smithton  is  now  a  large,  populous  town, 
with  no  other  marks  of  its  identity  than  are 
to  be  found  in  the  older,  yet  familiar  faces 
of  its  early  inhabitants. 

The  clatter  of  machinery,  the  hum  of 
many  mills,  the  thronging  teams,  and  the 
ringing  tread  of  rapid  footsteps  assure  you 
of  its  business  prosperity ;  while  that  large, 
well-built  Union  school  house,  and  those  four 
commodious  churches,  show  that  the  mental 
and  moral  wants  of  the  community  are  by 
no  means  overlooked. 
8 


86  THE   CLEVELANDS. 

Our  old  friends  are  all  here —  all,  save  the 
proprietor  of  the  village,  poor  Mr.  Smith. 
For  a  few  years  he  annoyed  by  his  petty  per- 
secutions those  who  sought  to  promote  the 
best  interests  of  himself  and  his  children, 
his  course  constantly  tending  more  and  more 
rapidly  downward,  till  at  last  he  sank,  past 
recovery,  into  the  pit  he  had  digged  for  the 
unwary  ;  a  few  days  he  raved  in  wild  de- 
lirium, and  passed  into  a  hopeless  eternity, 
another  victim  to  rum.  His  children  grew 
up  miserable  spendthrifts,  and  all  that  pa- 
ternal inheritance,  which  seemed  so  inex- 
haustible, now  has  other  ownership,  and  they 
are  thriftless  leeches  on  an  industrious  com- 
munity. 

That  first  Sabbath  school  passed  success- 
fully through  the  trials  and  vicissitudes  of 
the  first  winter,  and  has  never  for  one  Sab- 
bath been  omitted.  And  that  little  prayer 
meeting  in  Mr.  Brown's  parlor  became  the 
birthplace  of  many  precious  souls.  They 
assemble  in  the  church  now,  and  Mr.  John- 
son's voice  is  often  heard  in  prayer  and  ex- 
hortation. Lottie  Dascom's  father  is  one  of 
the  deacons,  and   she  has  consecrated  her 


FRUITS.  87 

young,  beautiful  life  to  the  service  of  her 
Redeemer. 

Our  first  friends,  the  Clevelands,  are  pros- 
perous and  happy ;  all  their  children  are 
gathered  into  the  visible  church,  and  re- 
joicingly the  parents  are  laboring  on  in  the 
service  of  Him  who  has  signally  proved  him- 
self a  covenant-keeping  God. 

The  broad  and  beautiful  west,  with  all  its 
moral  desolations,  is  the  subject  of  much 
prayerful  thought  to  their  oldest  son,  George, 
and  the  parents  fondly  hope  he  may  be  a 
chosen  laborer  in  this  part  of  the  Saviour's 
promised  inheritance.  For  here,  as  every 
where, — 

*'  The  harvest  dawn  is  near, 
The  year  delays  not  long, 
And  he  who  sows  with  many  a  tear 
Shall  reap  with  many  a  song. 

M  Sad  to  his  toil  he  goes, 

His  seed  with  weeping  leaves ; 
But  he  shall  come  at  twilight's  close, 
And  bring  his  golden  sheaves." 


UCSB   LIBRARY 


■unSSU95M*i«Miiv 


A     000  667  766 


